


Treacherous Intentions

by dontwaitupxx



Series: Treacherous Intentions [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: ...Terrifying Sheikah, All memories, Anger Management, Assassination Plot(s), Blood and Violence, Childhood Trauma, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cults, Dialogue may be changed and added to in memories, Espionage, Explicit Language, Gen, Homicide, Impa is the definition of a Terrifying Sheikah, Impa takes no bullshit, Implied/Referenced Torture, Infiltration, Intense Situations, Link is not a Good Person, Loss of Parent(s), Morally Grey Character, Most Diary Entries, Pre-Calamity Ganon, Psychopathology & Sociopathy, Racial slurs, References to Depression, Retelling, Terrifying Situations, Terrifying Yiga, Unrequited Affections - Freeform, Villain Protagonist, Yiga!Link, alternative universe, executions, pre-botw, use of alcohol, use of poison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 101,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22068349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontwaitupxx/pseuds/dontwaitupxx
Summary: His mission: to infiltrate the Hyrulean Royal Guard, and rise within their ranks. Then, on the eve of Calamity Ganon's return, assassinate the Princess in the light of the Blood Moon. He is to be the world's best actor, and Hyrule Castle, his stage. The Yiga Clan had already failed once in the Gerudo Desert: there was no more room for error. He would not fail.
Series: Treacherous Intentions [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1744312
Comments: 185
Kudos: 318





	1. Prologue

He knelt, with his head bent low, deep within the Yiga Clan Hideout in the Karusa Valley. The Lieutenant had been called there, amongst his peers, for a mandatory summons from their leader. It was an uncommon thing, for Master Kohga to have something that he had to announce to the entire clan, with little preamble or explanation. However, they all knew better than to ignore a summons from their master, and so they all scurried into the valley at the sight of red sparks flickering above their heads, like rats through a tunnel.

It was silent in the valley, as they all waited. They had come in as a procession, from mere Foot Soldiers all the way up to Admirals, every step in synchronization and every movement precise. One by one, they all knelt before the altar in the center, awaiting their master's arrival. In the undisclosed location of their hideout, they wore not their masks, their need for ambiguity unrequired. Instead they wore a simple cloth mask over their nose and mouth, allowing stealth and precision at a moment's notice.

Then, Master Kohga entered, with the doors banging behind him like a warning gong. He walked across the room to the center of his clan, his strides long and purposeful. The Yiga Clan knew better than to raise their heads to look at him until their master told them to. They were the epitome of obedience, the picture of rigid training, the product of severe loyalty.

Master Kohga was a tall and powerful man, and had commanded the Yiga Clan for the past decade. He, too, wore not his mask within the confinement of the Yiga Clan Hideout, and had his long, black hair pulled upward in a traditional Yiga fashion. His red and black armor fit to him tightly, with the inverted eye of the Yiga Clan displayed prominently on the chest piece.

He stood, a commanding aura emanating from him, as he oversaw his clan. It was silent within the valley, with not even the sounds of their breathing. He looked over his disciples, and a sinister grin appeared on his face.

"My brothers and sisters," Master Kohga said, his voice like a deadly fire, and all of the Yiga Clan looked up to him in unison, "The time of resurrection for our master, the Demon King Ganon, grows closer and closer with each passing day. For years, we have waited for a sign; for years we have waited for his call to us, his message of his return. The time is now that I can tell you all with great confidence that Ganon is returning, and his return will impact this world far greater than any calamity this world has ever seen."

The congregation boomed, their cheers reverberating off of the walls of the valley.

"Sixteen years ago, the treacherous Royal Family of Hyrule gave birth to a baby girl, one who they foolishly named Zelda. This princess has been damned since birth, and is fated to die in the wake of this Calamity Ganon. Now, I am sure that many of you have heard the stories and the legends, of the fairytales and the whimsical dreams. The legends tell of a prophecy, of a Hero that is destined to wield the Blade of Evil's Bane."

Master Kohga's head cocked to the side, surveying his congregation of disciples, before letting out a small chuckle, "But I ask of you, my brothers and sisters: where is that so-called Hero now? Where is he to wield this sword? That sword still lies within the Lost Woods, awaiting its fabled master. What is a sword without a master?" He paused, turning around to face away from the congregation, "It is a weapon without a calling; a weapon without purpose.

"I am here to tell you all now, that this hero of legend is not coming, and do you know why?"

Master Kohga turned back towards his congregation, his great voice booming out across the canyon.

"That hero is not coming because the damned Goddess Hylia is _dead."_

The congregation roared in approval in unison. The walls of the Yiga Clan hideout shook with glee.

"The Demon King Ganon has been demonstrating his growth in power: and we have laid witness to it in his Blood Moon. These nights are when his influence is at its strongest, and in his steed, when we are at our strongest. We have felt it in our blood, coursing through our veins, strengthening us and empowering us. These Blood Moons do not happen very often, but they shall be occurring with increasing frequency.

"As for why I have called you all here today," the air turned stale, suddenly, as the look on Master Kohga's face turned sour, "Many of you are not privy to the fact that a week ago, the Princess of Hyrule was here in our land. She was with the Gerudo, and it became clear to me what this was a sign of. The Demon King was giving us a perfect opportunity, and thus, two of your brothers had been sent on a mission to assassinate Princess Zelda outside of Gerudo Town: a weak princess, with only the fake Goddess Hylia to protect her. The two of them were tasked with her assassination and spilling her blood in the name of the Demon King. However," Master Kohga paused, his eyes flickering sharply to the crowd, "these two traitors were weak, and were unable to undertake the task set before them. They came back to the hideout, without completing the task set before them, asking for reinforcements, when they should have given their _lives for their cause._

"Failure is not an option in the Yiga Clan, and traitors will not be tolerated."

A snap of his fingers, and the doors from across the room opened with a bang. From the door, gagged and shackled, entered two Yiga Clan members. They were stripped of their Yiga Clan ensembles: what clothes they had on their backs were in rags. Bruises and gashes covered their faces, and one of them was sporting a nasty limp. Other soldiers were dragging them forward, their faces impassive and unmoving.

The Lieutenant knew what this meant. It was an execution: Master Kohga meant to make an example of them.

His lips coiled upward.

The two Yiga Clan members were dragged up to the altar in the center, being forced to their knees, facing the congregation. The first of the two was staring impassively into the crowd, his face unwavering. The second of the two, however, was trembling, tears running down his dirt and blood stained face. They were blindfolded at this moment, with the last thing that they saw being of their brothers and sisters.

"Now then," Master Kohga mused, "the two of you have been found guilty of betraying the Yiga Clan, and of failing your brothers and sisters. It is no small accusation, and one that cannot be taken lightly. What do you have to say in your defense?"

The gag of the first brother was ripped down from his mouth, and his voice was steadfast, steady, and strong. His voice boomed throughout the valley, "I have lived for the Yiga Clan," he began, "and I continue to live for my brothers and sisters. I'll die for my clan, and will continue to serve our Demon King even through death."

"Brave words for a traitor," Master Kohga hissed through his teeth, as the gag was secured back in his mouth.

The gag of the second brother was yanked down from his mouth, and the traitor was visibly shaking in the canyon, "Please, Master, you can't do this," he pleaded, fresh tears trailing down his cheeks from behind the blindfold, "It wasn't our fault. It was the Gerudo Chief Urbosa: she had been accompanying the Princess and thwarted our plans. She overpowered the both of us, and with the snap of her fingers –" his body visibly spasmed, "–w-w-we were p-p-p-p –"

" _Silence,"_ Master Kohga thundered, his voice shaking the very foundations of the Karusa Valley. The traitor fell silent, his body shaking in fear and dread, as the gag was tied securely around his mouth once again.

"I will not hear your pitiful excuses any longer, "Master Kohga spat, "the two of you had one task to complete and one task only. You both did not see it through and thus, you failed. Failure is not an option in the Yiga Clan, and traitors will not be tolerated."

The two were ripped upwards to their feet by their hands, tied around their backs, and tied to two posts at the back of the altar. Beneath them was a layer of timber and kindling, lying at their feet. The two soldiers that had been restraining them rose to their feet, and crossed to opposite sides of the altar, drawing their Duplex bows and nocking a singular fire arrow.

The first of the brothers was calm and stoic; the second of the brothers was quivering, like a leaf on a tree in heavy winds.

"There is only one punishment befitting of traitors of the Yiga Clan," Master Kohga announced, "and that punishment can only be laid in the terrible eyes of our Demon King himself."

A snap of his fingers, and then the synchronized snap of two Duplex bows. The arrows hit simultaneously at the feet of the two Yiga traitors with a resonating ping. Instantly, the two posts were set ablaze in flames: the sounds of the screams of the two brothers resonating high over the sound of the blaze.

Every member of the Yiga Clan knew better than to look away during an execution: to look away was a sign of weakness, or worse: of remorse. It would be viewed as a sign of treason, and they were all in witness to what happened to traitors of the Yiga Clan. They all looked onward, their faces expressionless and impassive, except for one. The Lieutenant knelt, looking up at the burning corpses of his former brothers. His lips were turned upwards in a smile, with the light of the flames dancing off of his blue eyes.

"Listen here, and listen well," Master Kohga said, his voice echoing across the valley, "let this all serve as a reminder to you all of what happens to traitors of the Yiga Clan. Those who disobey orders, those who try to desert, or those who otherwise betray their brothers and sisters will face the same, if not, worse fate of what you have all just witnessed. There will be no leniency, no second chances. There will be no more room for error. You are dismissed."

Master Kohga disappeared, then, in a puff of orange and black smoke, forming into a faint outline of his figure before disappearing all together. Each Blade Master and Foot Soldier, each Lieutenant and Commander and Admiral, all filed out wordlessly, the screams of the traitors having vanished all together. The only thing that remained was the sight and smell of their corpses burning, the smoke rising from the ashes.

The next couple of hours went on that day without much commotion. The Yiga Clan would go about their day quietly, either training or preparing for their field expeditions. No one would hear from or see Master Kohga for quite some time after that, as the leader of the clan had retired to his study. It would only be later that the Lieutenant was found by a shaken and newly recruited Foot Soldier in the training room, as he swung his Windcleaver against a training dummy.

He had been alone in the training room, his Windcleaver slicing through the air, sending blades of wind careening across the room. Already had one training dummy been destroyed from the sharp blade of his Windcleaver. It lay in a pile of rubble near the wall, its resemblance lost in the damage.

The Foot Soldier stood, shaking in his wake. He had heard the rumors of the Lieutenant's temper, and knew best not to ignite it. One Foot Soldier had claimed that the Lieutenant had given a Foot Soldier a limp, merely for not having the information required of him. Another had claimed that the Lieutenant never spoke above a whisper, and somehow, that was worse than yelling. He cleared his throat, mustering up whatever little courage he had.

"Lieutenant, sir," the Foot Soldier said, his voice stammering, as he bent forward into a low bow. His voice was high, squeaking loudly against the sharp strikes of the Windcleaver.

The Lieutenant lowered his Windcleaver to the side, never taking his sharp eyes off of the training dummy, "You had best have a good reason for interrupting me, soldier."

His voice was low; nearly a whisper, and it sent chills down the poor Foot Soldier's spine. He cowered before the Lieutenant: he was only the messenger.

"I have a message, from Master Kohga," the Foot Soldier whispered, his voice faltering, "He wishes to speak with you, immediately: he did not say what about."

The Lieutenant was silent for a long moment, and the Foot Soldier was afraid that somehow he had said something wrong. Was it wrong of him to not know the details of Master Kohga's summons? Should he perhaps have not mentioned the bit that he knew not what it was about? He shook with terror. The Lieutenant was unwavering, unflinching, and the Foot Soldier was terrified that he might have to repeat himself, though he was not sure he could get the words out again.

This proved, however, to be unnecessary, as the Lieutenant cocked his head slightly towards the quivering Foot Soldier, a small smirk curling on his face, "Well then," he drawled, his cold blue eyes freezing the Foot Soldier in place, "It would be unwise for me to ignore the Master's summons, now wouldn't it?"

He strutted forward, shoving his Windcleaver in the arms of the frail Foot Soldier, "Sharpen this for me while I'm gone, soldier. I'll be expecting it by the time I return."

He left then, leaving the quivering Foot Soldier standing gasping in his wake.

The Lieutenant marched through the Yiga Clan hideout, passing by various ranking officials of the clan. Most of the Yiga Clan's members were Foot Soldiers and Blade Masters, depending on their specialty, with those that excelled in their profession rising to commanding officers. The Yiga Clan had recruited him at the age of fifteen, five years prior, following the death of his mother.

His mother… the death of his mother was something that he pushed down, down into the tresses of his mind. He hated the Goddess Hylia: for if the Goddess Hylia had any power whatsoever, she would have prevented his mother's death. She would have saved her and spared her life. No matter how much he had prayed to the Goddess Hylia, his prayers were left unanswered, and his mother had died: cold, scared, and with the color of angry, red blood staining her handkerchief.

The Lieutenant now worshipped the Demon King Ganon, as this was a deity that he could see, a deity whose power was seen and feared, whose power was strong and forthcoming, not hiding behind false worship and fake prayer. Where prayers to the Goddess Hylia were left unanswered, with not even a sign to signify she had heard you, the Demon King Ganon was clear in his answers, providing tangible proof to all of his followers.

In his short time with the Yiga Clan, the Lieutenant was praised for his technique with the sword, both in a one handed blade and a two handed claymore. In sparring with the other Blade Masters, Lieutenants, Commanders, and even Admirals, he did well to display his mastery with the blade, and had yet to be defeated by even the most skilled and tenured of the Admirals. This earned him a great deal of respect within the Yiga Clan, even for the short five years he had been amongst his brothers and sisters. His technique with the sword wasn't his only talent: he was adept in nearly every discipline of fighting, be it sword or bow, spear or axe, hand to hand or dagger.

He made his way up the grand staircase to Master Kohga's study, the inverted eyes on the Yiga Clan tapestries staring at him benevolently and menacingly. Not many saw this part of the Yiga Clan hideout within the Karusa Valley, for only the lucky few were ever summoned to the Master's study. He knew his Master was expecting him, so rather than knock on the door, he opened it silently, making haste to close it behind him. He did not anticipate this being for prying ears. A summons to the Master's study was confidential.

Master Kohga was on a raised platform at the end of the room, his legs crossed, and his body levitating a couple of inches above the ground. He had his eyes closed as the Lieutenant walked into the room swiftly, before kneeling before him, one arm over his knee, and his head bent low.

It was silent between the two for a while yet, the tension in the room thickening. The Lieutenant knew not to speak first: doing so would end disastrously for him, and he knew better than to test his Master's temper on a day like today. There was an acute awareness in the air: his Master knew that he was there. So he would wait, until his Master deemed the time was right.

Master Kohga slowly lowered himself to the floor, his legs still crossed and his hands still rigid on his knees. Wordlessly, he opened his eyes and looked at his Lieutenant, knelt before him, awaiting his next orders.

"Lieutenant," Master Kohga began, moving to stand onto his feet, "You have been a loyal member of the Yiga Clan for naught but the last five years, and in five years, you have risen faster than any Yiga Clan member has ever risen. You've been named Lieutenant in the last six months, and are the youngest one named in the great history of the Yiga Clan. What say you in light of your successes?"

The Lieutenant's voice was prompt and clear, yet quiet and low: "My successes are not mine, but of our Demon King Ganon. I wish only to serve him and to further the Yiga Clan's cause, so that we may become closer to eradicating the very thing that taints the nature of this land."

"Indeed," Master Kohga mused, "Tell me, Lieutenant, do you know why I have summoned you here, at this very moment?"

"You have need for my abilities," he replied, without hesitation, "The Demon King Ganon has spoken with you, and desires my capabilities."

"I will never underestimate your power of perception," Master Kohga grinned, a sinister thing, as he looked at the Lieutenant, "You are correct: I have a task for you; or, if you would, a mission."

"I will not fail," It was a mantra, a chant, a prayer. It bled with the promise of his words.

"It's not an option," Master Kohga agreed, waving his hand flippantly, "No, this mission requires stealth, it requires precision, and it cannot afford mistakes, sloppy or otherwise, which is why I am not sending you with a brother. This mission is to be done alone, for it is a sensitive mission. I have chosen you for this mission because not only have you proven your loyalty to the Yiga Clan and to our Demon King time and time again, but you also possess the combat technique needed to act the part. Even in your short time with your brothers and sisters, you have shown cunning and ambition that far out paces every one of our senior officers."

"What should you have me do?" The Lieutenant breathed, "I am your sword; simply order me to strike."

"Your mission is two-fold," Master Kohga stated, "You are to infiltrate the Hyrulean Royal Army and rise within their ranks. You are to exploit them, and find out who their Hylian Champion is, wielding the Blade of Evil's Bane. No Champion has been announced as of yet, but I would not hold it past Rhoam to keep it on the down low, under lock and key. He would be a fool to not know the significance of 'Farosh's Champion' to their efforts," he looked thoughtful for a moment, his eyes diverting away, "If, in fact, this Champion has not yet been discovered, keep your ear to the ground and wait – and once he is discovered, he is to be destroyed."

"It shall be done," the Lieutenant whispered, his voice but a breath in the air.

"Very good," Master Kohga said, his lips coiling upwards, "The second part of your mission coincides with the first, but it requires not only precision and stealth, but _patience_ as well _._ One wrong step out of line, one wrong move, and you will find yourself with your head on the chopping block within Hyrule Castle, and then all of your clan's efforts will have been for nothing. Do not think that the rumors of your short temper have not made their way up to me: for it is the one thing that gives me pause when handing you this mission. You must exercise caution and patience. Timing is everything in this mission."

"I understand," the Lieutenant said, softly, "I will not fail."

"This is good," Master Kohga said, pivoting back towards the Lieutenant, "As you rise within the ranks of the Hyrulean Royal Army, you are to navigate your path to gain security clearance to the Princess of Hyrule within the Royal Guard. You are to gain their trust, and by doing so, you are to gain her trust. You must make sure that the Princess of Hyrule does not awaken her sacred powers. If she does so, it will only make your mission that much more difficult. Our clan did well to assassinate her mother, the Queen, a decade ago, to prevent these powers from being learned. However, that does not mean it is impossible for her to learn without a teacher. There is no room for error at this point in the mission. You are to be the world's best actor, and Hyrule Castle, your stage.

"Hyrule Castle is swarmed with the boot licking Sheikah, and they command the Hyrulean Royal Army. Nothing about you can even hint that you are of the Yiga Clan, for as passive as the Sheikah are, they are sharp, and they will see right through you. You must not allow them to see you for what you truly are. You are to adopt their customs, their sword techniques, and their way of life. They must not realize your treacherous intentions.

"Do this, and the stage will be set for the eve of the Calamity Ganon's return," Master Kohga said, before glancing towards the door to his study, a calculating look on his face, "It seems that in light of your brother's failures, we have been given an… opportunity, if you will. With the continuing frequency of the Blood Moons, the demonstration of the Demon King's power, it has become clear to me what path our Clan must take. On the eve of Calamity Ganon's return, you are to assassinate the Princess of Hyrule in the light of the Blood Moon. It shall be the strongest before his arrival. It is imperative that she does not die before this night; you must keep her alive until this day. By assassinating the Princess during the Blood Moon, on the eve of Calamity Ganon's return, when his power is at his highest, the Yiga Clan will have the ability to offer up the Princess's power to him, bathed in the red glow of his great and awesome power."

"It shall be done," the Lieutenant whispered, "I will not fail."

"I have no doubt," Master Kohga said, stepping down from the platform and standing in front of his Lieutenant, "The Yiga Clan has already failed once, right here the Gerudo Desert, and we have failed one time too many. The Yiga Clan is already being made the mockery of Hyrule. No longer do its citizens fear us in the ways that they once did. It is time to regain this land back in the rightful hands of the Demon King Ganon, and to make its people crumble under the strength and power of him. The Royal Family must pay for the travesties and betrayal they inflicted on our people. There is no room for error, no room for mistakes. The fate of the Yiga Clan rests with you."

Link looked up then, and looked into the eyes with his master, cold blue eyes locking with deadly red.

"I will not fail."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet another 'fill in the blanks' pre-BotW memory fic, except this time, we are changing the dynamic a bit. This has been a project of mine since October, 2019. I'm envisioning the Yiga Clan as being a much darker, scarier, and fearsome clan, and their mannerisms are inspired by the Dark Brotherhood from the Elder Scrolls series (specifically, Oblivion. Go YouTube the quest line it is phenomenal). I've also been inspired in parts of the story from Netflix's original series 'You'. I have been writing this alongside finishing Malice, and I have the first eight chapters already written and edited. This will not be as long as Malice; I am aiming for between 14 and 16 chapters (though last I counted, I think I was closer to 18-20 chapters... whoops!).
> 
> You can find me on tumblr [here](https://dontwaitupxx.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Reviews are always appreciated! Let me know your thoughts!


	2. Chapter 2

It had been far too easy to infiltrate the Hyrulean Royal Army.

It had been a few weeks since he had been recruited into the Hyrulean Royal Army, and already he found himself far ahead of schedule. The Yiga Clan anticipated Calamity Ganon's return for the next summer, and so he had a few months to navigate his way to the Princess's side.

The recruitment process had been a series of tests and drills, overseen by the Commander of the Royal Army. The Commander, Impa, was a terrifying Sheikah, with blazing red eyes, who overlooked from the battlements as the recruits ran through drill after drill on the courtyard below. During this time, Link was careful not to utilize any moves that were strictly Yiga. While his Yiga training had been tight, sleek movements and firm movements with his wrist, his did well to copy the movements of the outstanding Hylians in his group, with wide, arching movements, careful to keep it within his arm and curled into his wrist.

More than once, he looked up into the battlements and made eye contact with Commander Impa, fiery red eyes clashing into icy blue eyes. They bore an intensity that Link could not read, and before he could ponder on it further, her eyes were cast onwards, onto the other hopeful recruits, looking to join the Hyrulean Royal Army.

He must have done well to hide his Yiga training, for he was recruited into the Hyrulean Royal Army that very same day.

He had to figure out how to navigate his path towards the castle once his training was completed. Being assigned to the army on the castle grounds, or even nearby on the Hyrule fields was a very rare thing, indeed. Most soldiers stationed there, he learned, had requested a transfer to Central Hyrule from the outlying garrisons, to be closer to family. Most likely, he would be stationed somewhere outside of Central Hyrule. The second strongest stronghold, outside of Hyrule Castle itself, was the Akkala Citadel, which was where a good amount of recruits were assigned. Likely also was Fort Hateno, out on the countryside, and then equally as daunting were the settlements way out in the countryside, just before each of the major provinces.

It would do Link well _not_ to be assigned at some random garrison in the depths of the Faron region.

It had only been a few weeks since he had been recruited. He was spending his days at the Military Training Camp to the northeast of Hyrule Castle, and through word of mouth, he had come to learn that King Rhoam had not, in fact, discovered who the Hylian Champion was. The Crown certainly knew of the Calamity Ganon's return – though they knew not when he would arrive – and thus, they were preparing feverishly for it: unearthing and discovering within the last few years the Divine Beasts and the Guardians made by the Ancient Sheikah, which had been used to combat the Calamity ten thousand years prior. The Sheikah scientists were working feverishly day in and day out at the Royal Ancient Lab to figure out how these things worked.

It was ironic, to Link, how ten thousand years ago, the ancient Sheikah were shunned for their advances in technology, and had to abandon all they had worked for, and live simple, primitive lives. Now, though, the Hyrulean Royal Family was desperate for that same ancient Sheikah technology, though they had shunned the very people who had created it.

The Princess was currently away from the castle, he learned, recruiting suitable Champions from the other four races to pilot these beasts. Perhaps that had been the reasoning for her being in the Gerudo Desert prior to the failed assassination attempt. Each race had their own test, which would determine who would pilot the Divine Beast, but the Hylians needed something more than a pilot. They needed a hero, one that would wield the Sword that Seals the Darkness, and that sword – the Master Sword – lay dormant within the Lost Woods.

And King Rhoam had ordered every able bodied Hylian to make the pilgrimage through the Lost Woods to test their skill against the blade.

Which mean Link was to make his way through the woods.

He travelled the worn path with the other newly recruited soldiers, thinking to himself how it was blasphemy that he was going to attempt to pull this sword from the ground. He was Yiga: it would never be pulled by his hand, but he knew that he had to play the part, and so play the part he did.

They trekked through the Lost Woods, with only a riddle given to them by their senior officers: 'the flames will guide your way.' Perplexed, Link and the other soldiers lit their torches and began their journey through the misty fog of the Lost Woods.

The trees around them grinned menacingly, and the air grew thick and cold as they delved deeper into the woods. The fog swirled upwards, creating a slight updraft, and Link shivered. Link held his torch close, his broadsword strapped to his back, and noticed offhandedly that though there was no wind carried into the Lost Woods, the flames of his torch flickered in each direction, alive in its own right.

More than once, the fog around them became too thick to transverse, and he could not even see the torch that was in his hand, much less the other recruits that he had come with. He became disoriented, unsure of which way was up or down, and could scarcely hear the trees laughing at him, mocking him. He would backtrack, stumbling back into the clearing where he had been, bent over, catching his breath, trying to undo his relentless vertigo. The flames of the torch blew in the opposite direction. Unconsciously, he followed it, allowing them to guide him.

And then he understood.

He arrived first to the Korok Forest, deep within the Great Hyrule Forest, having lost the rest of the recruits in the fog of the Lost Woods. He sat down on a log, extinguishing the flames, catching his breath, as he waited for the others.

Around him, the breeze tickled his nose, and faintly, he heard what sounded like little children giggling. Looking around him, he found himself to be alone. He would see movement in the corner of his eye and whip his head towards it, only to find it be a leaf, or a twig, or a plant. Strange…

Soon enough, the rest of the soldiers stumbled out of the Lost Woods, and together, the lot of them made their way into the heart of the Great Hyrule Forest. They travelled under a hallowed out tree, which was larger than any tree Link had ever seen across Hyrule. From it, they walked onwards across stone steps that looked ancient and fresh in their placement.

As they approached, Link could not help but gasp, staring up at the magnificent tree that stood in the center of the great Korok Forest. Its branches spread out all across the forest, its blossom petals whispering gently in the wind.

Before it, stood the Master Sword.

The sword stood high in its pedestal, calm and dormant, expectant almost. The pedestal was triangular in design, surrounded by six stones. It was a fine sword, crafted by the Goddess herself if Link were to believe the legends. However, legends and fairytales could not be backed up by truth and fact. As far as Link was concerned, it was a well-crafted sword forever lodged into the stone of the ground. It could be pulled out due to strength, and strength alone. There was simply no way a so called hero would be able to pull it out due to a mere role in a prophecy.

One by one, each of the soldiers approached the Master Sword, their fingers gripping the hilt desperately, and one by one each of them failed to pull it from the stone. There was one soldier, a burly man at that, who Link thought could possibly have the strength to pull it from the stone. However, this man had the most difficult time out of them all, and nearly fell over onto his back in his attempts at pulling the Master Sword from the stone.

Link was getting ready to head back into the Lost Woods, before he heard one of the other soldiers speak up.

"Aren't you going to try and pull the Master Sword from the stone?"

He whirled on this recruit, icy blue eyes bearing into him. How dare he try to give him a command! However, he would be the epitome of obedience. He breathed sharply through his nostrils, cooling his temper.

He spoke, his voice low and quiet, "I beg your pardon?"

At this, the recruit was reduced to a quivering mess, under Link's cold gaze. He stuttered, "What I mean is, the King, he ordered all able bodied Hylians to make the pilgrimage through the Lost Woods to test their skill against the blade, and you are able bodied, and a Hylian, so I just thought…"

Link sighed, his eyes flickering to the Master Sword, which seemed to be beckoning him closer with the glint of the sunlight off of it, "Very well," he muttered, the next part under his breath, "But this is a waste of my time."

Slowly, he approached the Master Sword, stepping onto the pedestal. Around him, the sun seemed to glimmer brighter through the trees, almost sparkling around him. The birds in the forest sang in a merry song, and he heard the sound of children giggling once again.

He took the hilt of the Master Sword in both hands, and he felt a surge of energy race through his arms, filling his body up in a strange, foreign sensation. He shrugged it off, willing that foreign feeling to go away.

The Master Sword seemed to speak to him, in a language he did not understand through his ears, but understood as his core. Instead, it called _him_ master…

…but that couldn't be right. It must have just been the wind.

He planted his feet on either side of him, and began to pull the Master Sword upwards from the ground. As he suspected, the sword did not budge, and he thought to let go of the sword –

The Master Sword moved upwards from the pedestal by about an inch, the metal of the sword scraping against the pedestal. The recruits gasped in astonishment. Link kept pulling the sword, a sort of fever running over him. He was unable to stop, whether he wanted to or not. The sword moved upwards another inch, light shining from the sword and cascading around the forest. Link was beginning to feel weary, but the sword was relentless, and his grip only tightened. The sword escaped another inch, and no longer could Link hear the recruits or the fauna and wildlife around him, a faint buzzing emitting from his ears. The sword bolted another inch from the pedestal, and Link could begin to see black dots swarming around his eyes, his vision growing dizzy, the forest blurring together. Against his will, he kept pulling the sword.

Finally, the Master Sword ripped free from its pedestal, and Link held it in both hands, holding it out in front of him in disbelief. He squinted at it, wondering if he had imagined it, or if he had passed out from exhaustion and was simply dreaming things.

He had pulled the Master Sword.

He, a Lieutenant of the Yiga Clan, had pulled the Master Sword.

The irony was not lost on him.

Around him, chaos erupted, as the soldiers he had travelled with were suddenly surrounding him, cheering and whooping, jumping and clapping him on the back. The ringing in his ears slowly died down, and soon he was able to hear them.

"I can't believe you did it!"

"You pulled the Master Sword! You're the Hylian Champion!"

"You're the hero! You're going to defeat the Calamity Ganon!"

He couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

The journey to Hyrule Castle was a blur to Link, and before he knew it, he was in Hyrule Castle Town, being paraded in by his fellow recruits. He knew not what to say or how to react as townsfolk looked up from their errands, opened their doors to look out at the commotion, as he was cheered on as the new Hylian Champion.

He thought back to his objectives from Master Kohga. Master Kohga had specifically stated that he was to destroy this Hylian Champion once he was discovered. If he himself was to be the Hylian Champion, was that to mean that he had to destroy _himself…_

He brushed that off with a smirk. There was no possible way he was the true Hylian Champion, even if a mere sword had the power to pick someone as its wielder. He was Yiga through and through.

Besides, this would only help to solidify his place next to the Princess.

Rationally, he knew that he either must have had the brute strength to pull the sword from the stone, or the recruits had merely loosened the sword and he delivered the last tug. Perhaps a little bit of both. He knew that he was strong: he was long since praised as a prodigy of the Yiga Clan. It could just be that. Yes, he was certain that was it.

However, that sword seemed to hum with life, strapped to his back in his makeshift scabbard as he was paraded through Castle Town, across the bridge and into the heart of the castle. He knew that he was being taken straight to the King. No one had mentioned it as of yet, but from the twists and turns they were taking through the castle, it was clear that they were heading into the heart of the castle, where the King of Hyrule, no doubt, was. It would be downright treacherous for the newly discovered Hylian Champion not to go directly to the King.

And they couldn't have that, now could they?

They all but barged into the closed War Chamber, all protocol about kneeling before the King forgotten in their excitement. King Rhoam stood from his seat at the head of the table, a furious look on his face. Around him, various Commanders and Generals and Captains looked towards them, with quizzical looks on their faces.

"What is the meaning of this?" King Rhoam thundered, his voice booming across the room.

In their manic mindset, the soldiers seemed not to care. They pulled Link forward, several arms and hands pointing to him and the sword strapped to his back.

"He's the one!"

"He pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal!"

"He is our destined Hylian Champion!"

The room was silent for a few, long moments, before King Rhoam finally spoke, "Let me see it, then."

His movements sure and precise, Link reached to his scabbard behind his back, and pulled the Master Sword, holding it out in front of him. From the table, the various leaders of the army gasped, taking in the sight of the Master Sword. They had all tried, and failed, at one point or another, to pull the sword from the pedestal.

Link felt a pair of eyes bearing into him, and dared to glance upwards and locked eyes with Commander Impa, her fiery red eyes unreadable, though Link could perceive a hint of wariness from her. They stared at each other for a long moment, fiery red and icy blue clashing together, before a booming voice from the center of the table broke the silence.

"Why, by Hylia's Grace, you have done it, and you have saved us all."

King Rhoam was actually smiling, which was a rare thing for him since the Queen had passed nearly a decade prior.

The King gestured noncommittally, "Everyone, leave us: I wish to speak to the Hylian Champion alone."

The room dispersed quickly and quietly, emptying out of the only door in the room. The last to leave was Commander Impa, who at the door, paused, and said, lowly, "I'll be nearby, should you need anything, my King," before shutting the door behind her.

It was silent for a moment, before Link remembered himself and knelt down to one knee, his sword resting on it, his head bowed.

King Rhoam's hearty laughter boomed throughout the war room, "Rise, my dear boy! I will not have you kneel before me today. Today is a day of celebration! Now tell me, what is your name, hero? Where is it that you hail from?"

It was perfectly rehearsed, so he wouldn't breathe a word that could condemn him, "My name is Link, and I hail from Deya Village."

"Well, then, Link of Deya Village," King Rhoam began, "Do you know of the Great Omen of the Calamity Ganon's return?"

Link knew that the less he seemed to know, the more inconspicuous that he would seem, so he feigned innocence, and said, "Not much, sir. All I know is that everyone began calling me 'hero' when I pulled this sword from its pedestal."

King Rhoam hummed, before asking, "Tell me, boy, what do you know about the Tri-Force?"

Again, he feigned innocence and said, "My apologies, your majesty, I'm afraid I don't know anything about that."

"That you wouldn't," the King agreed, "I'll spare you the details, since they won't matter much in the end. What you do need to know is that by pulling that sword, the Master Sword, from its pedestal, you have solidified your role as the Hero of this era. The prophecy states that 'the signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear, and the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground'. A fortuneteller predicted the return of the Calamity Ganon, and so we acted. In our excavations, we have discovered the power to oppose the Calamity: ancient relics known as the Divine Beasts, as well as autonomous weapons, known as Guardians. My daughter, Zelda, is traveling across Hyrule now, recruiting pilots for these Divine Beasts, while our scientists are working to discover how to make these Guardians work. These were used against the Calamity ten thousand years ago, led by the hero that wielded that very same sword, as well as a Princess with a sacred power. It has become clear that we are to follow our ancestors path, and we are so close to doing so."

"What more must we do?" Link whispered.

"My daughter, Zelda, is destined to have this sacred power, however…" King Rhoam paused, looking away from Link, "She has not yet discovered how to awaken it. Her mother, the late Queen, was to be her teacher, as she too had this sacred power, but she passed on when Zelda was young. She has been training since then, but has made little progress. I fear that she is too distracted by her fascination with this ancient Sheikah technology. It is blinding her from her true purpose. However, I am certain that she will unlock this sacred power. It is her destiny to do so.

"As for you," The King looked back at Link, a sparkle in his eye, "As the Hylian Champion, you represent a beacon of hope for all of Hyrule. A country is at its strongest when united, and so I plan to rally my people together through their support of the four pilots of the Divine Beasts: a representative from the Rito, the Gerudo, the Gorons, and the Zora, shall pilot them. You, as the Hylian Champion, shall join them, and all of you will be led by my daughter, Princess Zelda. As the Hylian Champion, you shall be named a Knight of the Royal Guard. Although it may be a little unorthodox, seeing as you have only been in the Hyrulean Royal Army for a short amount of time, it is only fitting that title be granted to you."

"Thank you, my King." Link said lowly, watching his plan come together before his very eyes.

"We shall have the ceremony next week, then," King Rhoam concluded, "You are dismissed, Hero."

Link took his leave, then, exiting the War Chamber and heading to the soldier's barracks. The sword was heavy, strapped to his back, though a small smile crept up onto his face. Things were going better than he had planned. In just the few weeks he had been in the Hyrulean Royal Army, he had gone from soldier straight to Knight of the Royal Guard.

All he needed to do now was to get closer to the Princess.

He made his way to the barracks, and he noticed offhandedly that rumors travelled fast around there. Around him, soldiers and recruits were downright gawking at him, or rather at the Master Sword. He held his head a little higher at that, knowing that everything was going according to plan.

He walked into the training room, making his way towards the towers when a voice stopped him.

"You there. Hero."

He spun around.

At the end of the room was Commander Impa. She stood tall, her eyes blazing. She closed the distance between them, her long strides echoing off of the high walls of the barracks.

"So," she drawled, gesturing towards the sword, "You are the one that managed to pull the Master Sword from its pedestal."

Link nodded once. Commander Impa's lips twitched.

"Impressive," she said, lowly, "It is interesting how in the short amount of time you have been with the Hyrulean Royal Army, you have managed to pull the legendary Blade of Evil's Bane, and if I believe the rumors, you are to be knighted as well?"

"King Rhoam said it would happen next week."

"Indeed," the Commander whispered, "Tell me, _Hero,_ how old are you?"

"I am twenty years of age."

"Twenty years of age and being knighted as a Knight of the Royal Guard," Commander Impa nearly scoffed, "No one has ever been knighted at such an age, and no one has been knighted before they succeeded in passing the test of the Royal Guard. Forgive me for wondering what makes you so special."

"All I did was pull the sword from the ground," Link said, slowly, "I am but a servant of Hylia, and merely do as she bids."

The words tasted of charcoal and dust on his tongue, and he nearly gagged speaking them. Commander Impa looked at him then, an unreadable look in her fiery red eyes.

"Of course," Impa nearly smiled, "It must be an honor to wield the sword crafted by the Goddess herself. In fact, it would do me a great honor to be able to spar with such a hero, to feel the strength of the legendary sword against my own."

He felt like they were already sparring, but with their words instead of metal. Link gritted his teeth, breathing once through his nostrils before continuing, "Of course," he said, his face perfectly neutral, "As it would be an honor to spar against the Commander of our great army."

They stood facing each other, their weapons drawn and at the ready, waiting for the other to make the first move. As Yiga, Link had always been taught never to make the first move, unless you had the element of surprise on your hand. As Sheikah, Commander Impa also knew never to make the first move.

It was a standoff then, as they both stared at each other, waiting for the other to twitch in movement.

As it was, Commander Impa moved first, seeing that Link wouldn't, and charged at him, her Eightfold Longblade gripped tightly in her hand. Link braced himself to parry, but not before the Commander feinted and went for his open side. Link barreled out of the way, tucking the Master Sword under him. He had but a second to swivel around before he clashed the Master Sword with her blade.

Link flipped backwards, creating space between him and the Commander before she came at him again, but this time, Link drew the Master Sword above his head and sent it crashing down, the Commander blocking it in an overhead parry. She flicked it off, before executing a series of attacks that came in a flurry, Link parrying them with some effort.

The attacks coming from the Commander were not that for a spar; it almost seemed like she was set out to hurt him.

They were alone in the training room, but had there been any onlookers, they would have been scarce to see their attacks. They came so quickly, and they were a blur of metal and flesh, attacking in a frenzied dance that only the two of them knew.

At one point, the Commander's Eightfold Longblade came dangerously close to slicing at Link's neck, and he barely ducked out of the way. Instinct and adrenaline coursed through his veins, and without thinking, he held the Master Sword in both hands, and sliced down towards her, before flicking his wrists to the side, sending a blade of air careening towards her, much like he would have done with his Windcleaver. It was a move that was sleek and firm, and undeniably Yiga.

The world spun before he could comprehend what was happening, and he was disarmed, the Master Sword clattering away from him, his arms pulled behind his back. He was pinned down against the stone floor, his head being pushed roughly into the stone, and he felt the Commander's breath hot in his ear.

" _Yiga."_

He felt his blood turn to ice, but willed himself to calm down. He could still gain the advantage in this situation.

"You think you can fool me?" The Commander breathed, "Your talent with a blade is what got you in the army; I see that was my first mistake, but I knew from the moment I set eyes on you that there was something wrong about you."

Link breathed in once, and said in a cool voice, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Bullshit," Impa heaved, "I have killed countless of your kind that used that very same move. Let me guess: you're a Blade Master, aren't you? You are Yiga through and through, and are a traitor to the Royal Family. I see no reason why I shouldn't just to kill you right here, right now."

"I drew the Master Sword," Link said through gritted teeth, "I am the Hylian Champion, not of the Yiga Clan."

"Were there any witnesses to you drawing it?"

"No soldier is permitted to go through the Lost Woods alone."

"Answer the damn question."

"Yes, there were."

The silence between them stretched, though the pressure pinning him down only increased in intensity. Then, the voice returned, a breath on the wind, hot in his ear.

"I don't know how you managed to pull that sword, but let me be clear: I know your little secret, and I'll have my eye on you. One step out of line, one wrong move, and it'll be your head on the chopping block. And once I have undeniable proof of your intentions, once I have proof for the King to believe me when I tell him what his Hylian Champion's true intentions are, then you best believe I won't just come after you, but your entire little clan of traitors."

The weight from his back disappeared suddenly, and Link turned around, seeing that he was alone in the empty training room. He stood up, walking towards the Master Sword and picked it up, placing it back in its scabbard.

There was absolutely no more room for error.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing gets past Commander Impa! I imagine her as the incarnation of her from Hyrule Warriors, and I love this version of her where she is as sharp as a tack and nothing gets past her. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters in this story. She plays quite the prominent role. Now then, we are past the prologue and will be setting up the stakes! We have one more chapter until we begin diving into the memory scenes. If any of you have MasterWorks, you may be able to guess what scene takes place during Chapter Three! See you all next Wednesday!


	3. Chapter 3

A few weeks after the Princess had finally returned to the castle, Link found himself in luck. He, as well as a few of his fellow knights of the Royal Guard, were assigned to the lower courtyard where the Princess was conducting research on the Guardians with the Sheikah scientists.

Which meant that Link got to observe the Princess up close.

He stood, with his back facing a pillar, watching as the Sheikah scientists conducted their experiments. The Princess, he had noted, was working feverishly, struggling to conceptualize why the ancient Sheikah technology would not work the way they intended it to. She would be in a trance-like state, talking to herself and everyone at once, either muttering quietly or exclaiming loudly, no in between.

True to the word of the King, prior to the Princess finishing her excursion to recruit pilots for the Divine Beasts, Link had been officially knighted. It had happened in the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle, and the King himself knighted him, no less. Many of the senior knights made a point to comment about how big a deal it was for the King himself to knight someone, and they especially made a point to comment on how young that knight was _and how he had not done anything more than pull a sword from the stone to deserve it._

Yes, they made a point to have their voices heard.

But none of that had bothered Link. The Princess had arrived late in the evening, the day of her return from her excursion to recruit Champions for the Divine Beasts. The Princess's excursion had started in Gerudo Town, then off to Rito Village, across the mountains to Goron City, and then finally to Zora's Domain. He noted dryly that it was her trip to Gerudo Town that had resulted in her unsuccessful assassination. By the time she would have made her way to Rito Village, word of him pulling the sword would have circulated. He had tried to catch a glimpse of her that day, but all he had gotten was the sight of her golden blonde hair as she turned the corner in the corridor.

None of that mattered now as he looked at her up close. He made sure to do it in a way that wasn't obvious, as he did not want to be seen staring at the Princess. He copied the stances and expressions of his fellow knights in the courtyard, keeping his face passive, stoic, neutral.

The Princess was accompanied by two Sheikah researchers. The first of the two was a short Sheikah man named Robbie, who was the leading researcher regarding the autonomous Guardians. The second of the two was another Sheikah, taller in stature, named Purah. She specialized in ancient relic research, such as the inactive Sheikah Shrines, the fabled and theoretical Sheikah Towers, their existence conceived due to ancient Sheikah texts, as well as a new discovery, which they had dubbed the Sheikah Slate.

"Purah," the Princess began, "How is the Sheikah Slate supposed to assist us in understanding how these Guardians work?"

"At the moment, we are not entirely sure," Purah confessed, scratching her head, "We discovered it in an excavation atop the Great Plateau, where we discovered the Shrine of Resurrection. Though we are still figuring out and understanding what that shrine does, we are confident in our hypothesis that the Sheikah Slate is somehow related to that shrine, the _inactive_ shrines, the Guardians, the Guidance Stones, and the fabled towers."

"And these towers still have not been discovered yet?" The Princess asked.

"No, your majesty," Purah responded, "Though based on various ancient Sheikah texts, we are fairly certain that these towers will be found in each of the different geographical and topographical locations of Hyrule."

The Sheikah Slate was a small device, like a stone tablet. Link wasn't able to see from his vantage point what the capabilities of the slate were, but listening in, Purah seemed very excited about its potential and capabilities. She seemed to use the word 'potential' a lot… his ears had perked up at the mention of this Shrine of Resurrection. What precisely was the function of that shrine? Where on the Great Plateau was it located? And would this be something that the Yiga Clan could use to aid in their efforts to resurrect the Calamity Ganon?

And what of these Guardians? Could these autonomous weapons be things that could be snuck out of Hyrule Castle for the Yiga to understand and control?

His gaze rested on the smaller Sheikah researcher, who was poking around at the Guardian Stalker, testing its reflexes, all the while scribbling furiously in his field journal. He was muttering to himself incoherently, and every now and then, would release a short laugh of progress or understanding, circling the Guardian as he went.

"Absolutely fascinating," Robbie breathed, motioning the princess closer, "See here?" He pointed to the glowing blue eye, "The eye of the mechanical beast follows you wherever you go, almost like it is alive. Amazing."

"What's powering it?" The Princess asked, as the Guardian's head swirled on its axis, the machine glowing bright blue and orange.

"We're not sure," Robbie admitted, "We haven't been able to open up one of these Guardians safely as of yet; each time we try, the Guardian goes berserk, but we think it has something to do with its eye. See how the eye moves in a malleable fashion?" Robbie pointed to the eye, "We think that it's a sort of plasma behind the eye, that powers the Guardian. It makes sense knowing that the eye of the Guardian is its weakest area."

"Is it possible that the Sheikah Slate can be used to control the Guardians?" The Princess asked, a twinkle in her eye.

"That's what we are hoping," Robbie smiled, "Unfortunately, our lead researcher for the Sheikah Slate has not figured out much about it beyond its ability to capture real to life pictures and create a digital compendium."

"I beg your pardon," Purah admonished, "I have made groundbreaking discoveries on not only the Sheikah Slate, but its relation to other ancient Sheikah relics."

As the two Sheikah scientists went nose to nose in their argument, the Princess ventured off, circling the Guardian Stalker, making her own calculations and theories. She left the sight of both researchers, but Link kept his eyes glued to her, his eyes calculating and devious.

She had the Sheikah Slate attached at her hip, and with both hands free, she began studying the legs of the Guardian Stalker, noticing with great interest how they reacted to even the slightest of touch, lifting off of the ground entirely, before firmly rooting back into the ground.

The Guardian had six legs, which moved fluidly, lithely, as it would readjust its position, its head swirling around. The Princess would awe in wonder, notating something down in her field journal, before glancing back up.

The two Sheikah scientists were still arguing when the Princess reached her hand up to touch the eye of the Guardian. Even Link, from his position across the courtyard, knew this to be a bad idea.

The effect was almost instantaneous. The Guardian went berserk at this, its head spinning violently as its legs hit the ground in a short staccato, the dichotomy of its movements from before jarring. From its eye, a laser, hot and fiery, shot out, hitting the walls of the courtyard, causing the stonewalls to break away and partially collapse. The Princess, startled, stumbled backwards, tripping over one of the Guardian's legs. She fell backwards, stumbling on her hands and knees, as she looked up, into the now manic eye of the Guardian.

The Guardian's eye locked on her, then, a red pinpoint laser on her forehead, a furious beeping sound coming from the Guardian, and Link realized in that moment that the Guardian intended to shoot at her.

For a moment, he thought to let it happen, to let the Guardian attack the Princess and be done with her, but then he remembered Master Kohga's words:

_You are to assassinate the Princess of Hyrule in the light of the Blood Moon. It is imperative that she does not die before this night; else her powers will not be sacrificed to our Demon King Ganon, and our work will have been for naught._

He was moving before he realized it, running across the courtyard as fast as his feet would take him. The other knights, useless as they were, were cowering in fear of the Guardian.

Again, the irony was not lost on Link that he, a Lieutenant of the Yiga Clan, was about to save the Princess of Hyrule from her untimely death.

He had only the Master Sword with him, strapped to his back. It would not do well to deflect an attack from one of these Guardians. Looking around, he searched for some place to shield her from the blast. He came up short, as the courtyard was an entirely open space, and the pillars that lined the courtyard were entirely decorative, offering little to no coverage.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a pot lid, propped up against a kettle of soup, left there by the servants for the Princess and the Sheikah scientists a little less than an hour ago. He dove by it, snatching it in his hand, his pace never faltering as he ran towards the Princess.

It was better than nothing.

The Princess was frozen in fear, not even thinking to run and try to hide from the manic Guardian. The guardian was now beeping furiously: its movements erratic and frantic. Link dove in front of the Princess, pushing her back as far as he could, and held the pot lid up at the last second.

The Guardian shot out a beam of light and energy. In the first second, Link saw it hurtling towards him, and in the next, he felt it, the energy pushing powerfully against the pot lid. He, in turn, pushed back against it, causing the beam of energy to cascade back towards the Guardian, hitting it directly in its eye.

The force of the blast pushed him into the Princess, their limbs flailing as it sent them lurching towards the walls of the courtyard.

The Guardian exploded in a great big inferno; ancient bits and mechanical parts Link couldn't even begin to recognize detonating from its center. Link noticed out of the corner of his eye that the pot lid he was still holding was on fire, the wood smoldering from the fiery beam. Link ripped it off from his arm and threw it to the ground, stomping out the flames with the toe of his boot. Not that it mattered, much; there were small fires scattered across the courtyard, from the Guardian's explosion and initial destruction, of which the other knights were working to put out.

Link took this moment, then, to look at the Princess behind him.

It was the first time he had seen the Princess up close, within a couple feet of him. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, when he was given his mission from Master Kohga, but it certainly wasn't the young woman before him. She looked to be younger than him, but she seemed much wiser beyond her years. She was propped up on her elbows, staring blankly at the Guardian wreckage that lay waste in front of her. She had large, youthful green eyes, and her long, blonde hair cascaded down across her back, with small baby hairs framing her face. Her hair was braided around the crown of her head, ending somewhere behind her ears.

He would be lying if he said she wasn't beautiful, but, of course, that was inconsequential: he had killed far more beautiful things in his time with the Yiga Clan.

And now, those large, youthful green eyes were bearing into him, a sharpness and hatred in them he had not seen before.

" _You."_

Instantly, she was up on her two feet. Link presumed that she was unharmed from the debacle. She had her pointer finger pointed at his chest, her face morphing into something more feverish and furious, "How dare you."

"Princess –" one of the Sheikah researchers – Robbie, it sounded like – said, though Link couldn't be sure as his eyes were locked on the Princess.

"No," she held up a hand towards the two Sheikah researchers, and they instantly fell silent, "You…" she whispered, her voice cutting, "you ruined the Guardian. Do you know how hard we worked to make progress with that specific Guardian? It took us weeks to get to the point that we were at, and you completely _destroyed_ all of our hard work."

"Princess," Purah tried, "He was trying to protect you! He saved your life!"

"And now, if we cannot understand how these Guardians work before the Calamity Ganon arrives, then he has damned us all and –"

She stopped, frozen in her tracks, as her eyes caught the sun's light glint off of the sword strapped to his back. Her hands fell to her sides, her eyes cold and distant, as she blinked.

"How did I not notice before…" she murmured, shifting forward, "No, this cannot be right… father had said that the Hylian Champion had been found, that this new knight had shown promise and strength, but you… you're not much older than I am, are you? You're just a boy. How can you possibly be the Hylian Champion, wielding the legendary Sword that Seals the Darkness."

"I'm sorry I wasn't what you were expecting," Link replied, a wave of brashness coming over him.

"I'm sorry too," the Princess murmured, an insincere tone bleeding into her voice, "It seems that the Goddess Hylia is once again testing her people, sending two adolescents out to face the end of the world."

The Princess stared at him then, an unreadable look on her face, "Leave. I want you out of my sight immediately."

Link nodded once, quelling the burning anger from the pit of his stomach. He fought every intention and instinct and suppressed it, vowing to act as the righteous Hylian knight. He had saved her life, and she thought not of her own wellbeing. Instead, she had lashed out, more concerned with a nonliving thing. Had that been anyone else, any other mission, his temper would have gotten the best of him, and he would have forfeited everything.

But he knew he could not let his temper get the best of him. He had a job to finish, and was already treading through shark infested waters. The Commander was already suspicious of him, and he did not need to give her any tangible evidence or proof for her cause.

Speaking of the Commander.

As he turned to exit the courtyard, he saw Commander Impa standing underneath the archway, a furious and bewildered look on her face.

Around him lay smoldering Guardian parts and various small fires scattered. The Princess stood, amidst the wreckage, tears now streaming down her face. He supposed that no matter the circumstances, the scene did not look too good for him.

He didn't have a chance to speak before the Commander was on him in a blink of an eye. His arm was twisted behind his back as his head was slammed up against one of the pillars.

"Princess, are you hurt?" Commander Impa barked from where she was pinning Link. The Princess shook her head wordlessly, which only made the Commander push Link further into the pillar.

"What is the meaning of this, _Hero?"_ Impa spat in his ear.

Oh, so now all of this was _his_ fault. He breathed sharply through his nostrils, calming himself, quelling his boiling blood.

"The Guardian – it went berserk – and it attacked the Princess." Link responded, gasping as the Commander pulled his arm back further than it should.

"It's true!" Purah chimed in, "He deflected the blast from the Guardian with that pot lid over there – or, what's left of it, anyways."

"Quiet, sister." Commander Impa snapped, turning back to Link, "I'm not sure what you did, but this has Yiga written all over it," she said lowly, to where only he could hear, "This time, _Hero,_ you won't have to answer to me. This time, you'll have to answer to the King himself."

"I've already told you," Link shot right back, "I'm not Yiga. How can a member of the Yiga Clan pull the Master Sword blessed by the Goddess?"

Because… it was just a sword. It was just a sword that happened to be lodged in stone. He was just a Hylian that happened to be strong enough to pull it.

"Stranger things have happened," Impa growled. She gestured to one of the other knights, "You there. Help me apprehend this traitor and bring him before the king."

"Traitor?" Purah exclaimed, trailing behind her sister and the knight, as they dragged Link through the corridors of Hyrule Castle, "Now wait just a minute here, sister. He is the Hero of Hyrule, not some traitor."

"I know a traitor when I see one," Impa said, yanking Link's arm forward. He felt was he was certain to be the beginnings of bruises forming, "There's more to this than meets the eye."

"You think he managed to sabotage one of the Guardians?" Purah asked, bewildered, "We don't even know how to control them, let alone sabotage them!"

Commander Impa was hearing none of this, however, as she yanked Link down another corner of Hyrule Castle, leaving her sister in their wake.

Link, in his defense, opted to stay quiet through the whole ordeal. No reason to add gas to the flame. It would seem that the Commander was willing to use anything as evidence of his intentions. That Sheikah was going to be a hindrance to his plan if she kept this up.

But Link was to be the best of actors. He was standing on his stage; he could not afford to break character.

He was dragged like some lowly prisoner through the halls of Hyrule Castle up and out, to the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle. Impa tugged on his arm, her nails digging into his skin, as she yanked him into the inner sanctum. When all of this was said and done, after the Calamity Ganon's resurrection, Link made note to come back for the Commander if Ganon hadn't already done so.

He thought it might be nice to paint a portrait of her with her entrails.

Inside the inner sanctum, the King was seated on his throne, having just finished with an audience. The King stood up from his throne as Link was forced to his knees. When his arms were released, the Commander hovered over him, her eyes watching him like a hawk. The lone knight that had assisted the Commander retreated to the entrance of the sanctum.

"Commander Impa, what is the meaning of this?" The King bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the divine room.

"My King," Commander Impa began, bowing her head before continuing, "We have a traitor within our ranks. This so called 'hero' tried to assassinate your daughter."

"He tried to _what?"_ King Rhoam's eyes rounded onto Link, "Sir Link, speak: explain yourself."

"My King," Link began, choosing his words carefully, "I refute this accusation from the Commander. I did not attack the Princess, nor did I cause any harm to her. I was stationed in the courtyard as she and the Sheikah scientists were conducting research on one of the Guardians. The Guardian went berserk – I don't know why – and it began firing its laser. I knew the Princess' safety was of the utmost importance, so I used what I could to defend her. In doing so, I destroyed the Guardian. But faced with that choice again, I would do it again in a heartbeat, if only to ensure her safety once more."

"Is this true?" King Rhoam asked the knight standing near the door, "You had been in the courtyard when this all took place, correct?"

"It's true, your majesty," the knight chimed in, "I saw the entire thing. He used a mere pot lid to deflect the attack and save the Princess."

"A pot lid?" King Rhoam asked, an incredulous look in his eye, "Did you not have a proper shield with you?"

"No, sire," Link responded, "As I was on duty within the walls of Hyrule Castle, I did not deem it necessary to have one."

King Rhoam turned to the Commander, "Is all of this true, Commander?"

Commander Impa was silent for a long moment, before she answered, "I did not see the incident myself, and so I have no way of confirming this."

"You mean to say," King Rhoam muttered, "That you came up here, with this accusation on your tongue, but no evidence to back it up?"

The Commander swallowed, "Sire, I have been the Commander of the Royal Army for the better part of a decade, and within its ranks for even longer: I know a traitor when I see one. This boy you see here before you is a follower of the Demon King Ganon, and is Yiga through and through."

The Sanctum of Hyrule Castle was silent for a long moment.

Then, King Rhoam burst into laughter, his hearty laugh filling every inch of the sanctum. Link chose that moment then to look up into the eyes of his King, his emotions struggling for dominance, not knowing whether to be alarmed or relieved.

"Commander Impa, you have always been a loyal and steadfast commander, but this boy is no traitor. He is the Goddess' Chosen Hero, and is destined to save us all. He wields her sword, and is destined to defeat the Calamity alongside my daughter. It is simply not possible for him to be of the Yiga Clan."

"But sire –"

"Nonsense," The King proclaimed, "If what both he and this knight say is true, and undoubtedly there are more witnesses to the event, then this boy here did not endanger my daughter's life, but rather he saved it."

The Commander had not a response to that.

"Now, Sir Link, rise," King Rhoam commanded, "I will not have my daughter's savior kneeling before me, no, not today. In this act of bravery, you have not only saved my daughter, who you are destined to join forces with to defeat this Calamity, but you also saved the lives of everyone in the castle. It is an act that will not be taken lightly. I am impressed by your outstanding courage and quick thinking, and that is why I am promoting you to Captain of the Royal Guard."

" _What?"_ Commander Impa spat, flabbergasted.

King Rhoam ignored her, "We are always looking for knights with ingenuity, who are unflinching, and who put their country first before all else. I believe that you will make a fine captain, and will do well to lead the Royal Guard forward as we prepare for Calamity Ganon's return."

"Thank you, my King," Link breathed, a sliver of a smile on his lips.

King Rhoam continued, "This promotion to Captain of the Royal Guard will have you reporting directly to Commander Impa here. Perhaps working closer together, the two of you can work to mend your relationship. In these trying times, it does us no good to turn on one another." He turned away, looking out across Hyrule from the stain glass windows, "It makes me grateful to have had you in that courtyard today, Sir Link. I cannot help but think what could have happened had you not been assigned that post today. In fact…" He mused, his hand resting thoughtfully on his beard.

"Yes, sire?" Link breathed, the question clear in his eyes.

"I hate to think what could have happened if you were not there today, and I fear for something like that happening again. Therefore… effective next week, following the Champion's Ceremony, I am assigning you as my daughter's appointed knight. You are to protect her at all times, and keep her safe, as she travels across Hyrule training the newly appointed Champions, and on her excursions to unlock her sacred power."

"Your majesty, if I may," Commander Impa cut in, an incredulous look on her face, "I do not think it wise, appointing this boy as the Princess's appointed knight. He has been in the Hyrulean Royal Army for only a few months, and in the Royal Guard for even less. Surely you can agree that having a more experienced and seasoned knight at her side would better ensure the Princess's safety."

"I think he has proven himself well enough to earn his place," the King said, flatly, "You would do well, Commander, to remember yours."

"Yes, my King," Commander Impa said immediately.

"Very good, then." King Rhoam clapped his hands together once, "Sir Link, you are dismissed. Everyone else, you are as well." Link bowed low, before standing and turning, "Commander Impa," King Rhoam muttered, a hint of danger in his voice, "A word, if you will."

Link stepped outside of the sanctum of Hyrule Castle, the thick doors slamming shut behind him with a resolute thud. The sliver of smile from before grew into a fully blown grin. He was pleased with how the events had turned out for him. Not only did he have the King of Hyrule on his side, but also he had the Knights of the Royal Guard under his watch, and would be up close with the Princess as her appointed knight.

Everything was all going according to plan.

Except for that blasted Impa.

He knew that just because he had the King on his side, that wouldn't be enough to stop the Sheikah from trying to thwart his plans. He would have to be diligent in his efforts, being sure not to give anyone cause for suspicion. The incident in the courtyard was a mere accident, and he had been painted as the traitor in that light.

He would have to work even harder to maintain his façade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends! Firstly, I would like to say WOW and THANK YOU for the support on this story through this site and ff.net! I've had a few of you write some wonderful reviews and comments on this story, and truly, it means the world.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading thus far! Next chapter, we dive into the first of the memories! See you all next Wednesday!


	4. Chapter 4

Not long after the incident with the Guardian, King Rhoam declared that all soldiers and knights were to have shields on their person at all times.

No exceptions.

As Captain of the Royal Guard, Link was granted the Captain's Quarters, which was an extravagant luxury, even if it was roughly the size of a storage closet. As a Lieutenant of the Yiga Clan, Link had not been afforded such a luxury as his own private quarters. Only Master Kohga would enjoy that indulgence.

He stood in his quarters, facing his bed, admiring his new Royal Shield. These shields were only afforded to those knights that were in direct service to the Royal Family. As Captain of the Royal Guard, he would generally not be afforded such a fine shield, but seeing as he was also given the title and responsibilities as the Princess' appointed knight, the King was able to spare the extra expense.

He was subject to the leering looks of the lowly knights with their standard fare Knight's Shields, as well as the looks of the more seasoned and tenured knights with their Royal Guard Shields, which were lacking in durability, but the thoughts of these knights mattered not to him. The gold from the Royal Shield shined brightly, illuminating his small room slightly, and Link mused that it would make an excellent gift to Master Kohga once all of this was said and done.

Next to his Royal Shield was a blue tunic, stitched from fine Hylian fabrics, embroidered with a soft, white thread. The blue was one of the colors of the Royal Family of Hyrule, and wearing this color proved the individual as being respected by the Royal Family. When the King summoned him and gave it to him, he had said that his daughter, the Princess, had crafted it. She had meticulously stitched garments for all five of the Champions of Hyrule, with each of the Divine Beasts painstakingly embroidered on them, for their respective Champion.

His had been embroidered with the hilt and blade of the Master Sword. How fitting.

He was to wear this tunic to the Champion's Ceremony held in the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle later that day. If Link were honest, it was a lot of pomp and grandeur, and quite frankly, a lot of propaganda. It was the King's way of trying to unite his country and make his people all believe five mortals, six if you counted the worthless Princess, could defeat an entity so powerful, his name had gone down in legend.

He laughed, shrugging the tunic on over his shirt. In it, he looked nearly unrecognizable as a member of the Yiga Clan. He had to wonder if any of the Foot Soldiers on their field expeditions would even recognize their Lieutenant.

He hoped that they had half a mind to keep their mouths shut if they ever saw him and to let him pass.

He wasn't sure the extent of which the Foot Soldiers knew of their Lieutenant's mission. He would imagine Master Kohga would brief soldiers on a 'need to know' basis, knowing that the fewer people that knew of his mission, the smaller their chance of his identity leaking out. He hoped that even if they had _not_ been briefed, they would be able to connect the dots for themselves.

He strapped his belts into place, his baldric, and finally, the Master Sword, which fit perfectly into the scabbard the King had commissioned for him.

The clock tower began to chime. The ceremony was to happen half past the hour. It was time.

He left his quarters, making his way up to the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle. Following the Champion's Ceremony, there was to be a parade through Castle Town to introduce all of Hyrule to their new Champions. It would lead out to the Sacred Grounds where there was to be an ancient ceremonial blessing in honor of Link being the Princess's appointed knight. The day would end with a celebratory ball in the Great Hall.

Had Link not had explicit instructions to kill the Princess on the eve of Calamity Ganon's return, the Great Hall would have made an excellent place for an assassination.

Link had yet to meet the other Champions. He had heard of their arrival to Hyrule Castle within the last week, but he had not the chance to see them in person. Each of the Champions represented the four other main races of Hyrule, with each piloting that region's Divine Beast. An advisor from each race accompanied each of the Champion's, as well as a platoon from their army. The platoons would make up each section of the parade through Castle Town. It was to be a show of prowess and ability.

Link was no different; as the Hylian Champion, he was to be accompanied by Commander Impa, and lead the Royal Guard.

Things between him and the Commander since the incident with the Guardian had been tense at best. They spoke hardly a word to each other, despite him directly reporting to her. But that did not mean that she was not watching his every move, waiting for him to make a mistake: waiting for him to slip up. However, he did not give the Commander that satisfaction, and he played his role as Captain of the Royal Guard perfectly. In fact, with his new training regiments in place, the Royal Guard's sword work was becoming more precise, their arrows flying true, their combat cleaner and far more efficient, much to the Commander's dismay.

Of course, the Royal Guard was fruitless in comparison to his subdivision in the Yiga Clan, of which that he made certain.

Now, they met in front of the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle, and met each other's eyes with nothing more than a curt nod. The Princess was there, and her eyes never once looked in Link's direction. She was conversing quietly with who Link assumed was one of the Champions. She was a tall and compelling Gerudo, who stood leaps taller than every one of the Champions, save for one. From time to time, the Gerudo would look straight at him, her eyes never faltering, before sliding easily back into conversation with the Princess. The Goron Champion was the only one who towered over the chief of the Gerudo, a benevolent smile plastered on his face. Next to the Goron was a Rito, his feathers a regal pattern of navy and white. He seemed to scoff at everyone around him, and would only converse with the Princess, though he never was the one to initiate conversation. The last of the Champions was a small Zora, adorned in jewels and crowns…

Oh sweet baby Ganon. He only knew of one Zora that would be adorned in jewels that extravagant. It couldn't be…

But it was. Mipha turned her head then, locking eyes with Link for the very first time in nearly ten years. Though he had changed quite a bit, she looked exactly the same as when he last saw her. He watched as surprise washed over her face, her eyes calculating as recognition set in, before her face settled into that benevolent smile of hers.

Memories of summers spent in Zora's Domain washed through Link's mind like the waterfalls crashing from Upland Zorana. Memories of nights spent fishing and wading through the languid, yet treacherous, waters of the Domain, learning to swim on par with the Zoras when he was just a boy. Memories of mornings spent in Ruto Lake, splashing and laughing, with hardly a care in the world, the world having not yet been so cruel to him. Memories of him, and Rivan, and Gaddison, and Bazz, all dubbed the Big Bad Bazz Brigade; the four of them training in the art of the sword; all leading up to the day that he marched up like a fool to Shatterback Point and slayed the Lynel terrorizing the province.

He had won, of course, but he had also been only nine years old. He had been reckless and stupid. As if on cue, Link's leg twitched, the raised, white scar from his encounter with the monster throbbing dully.

Mipha looked as though she were about to come over and say something, but then, like a divine intervention, the trumpets blared. The ceremony was about to start.

They stood in front of the entrance to the Sanctum. The Princess walked forward, in front of the five Champions, and together, they walked in, their advisors and their armies following behind them.

King Rhoam was already awaiting them from the balcony as they walked in. The Princess stood in the center of the room, directly in the center of the Tri-Force depicted, while the Champions all took their designated spot, their advisors and flag bearers standing behind them. Lined up in immaculate lines closest to the walls were the armies of each race, standing at attention.

"Welcome warriors," King Rhoam spoke, a small smile gracing his face, "I'd like to thank you for joining me here today, and for your bravery in accepting this fateful task. I officially appoint you Hyrule's Champions and bestow upon you this sacred garb. That blue is a symbol of the Royal Family, one that has been passed down for countless generations. Those garments you now wear were all crafted by my daughter, Zelda."

She stood, the light from the window shining brightly from the window to her right. Though Link could not see her face, she stood proud, regal, and noble.

"Zelda, I trust you with the task only a daughter of the Royal Family can fulfill."

The King lifted his chin, projecting his voice tremendously throughout the Sanctum.

"Lead our Champions, Princess. And together, protect our kingdom from the threat of Calamity Ganon."

From outside the Sanctum, then, Link heard what was the sound of fireworks, being set off to announce the end of the Champion's Ceremony and the beginning of the Champion's parade.

Link was officially the Hylian Champion, and from this moment on, the Princess's appointed knight.

The stage was set: now, to wait for his cue.

They moved out in a processional. Each of the Champions led the way. The Rito congregation moved first, followed by the Gerudo, then the Zora, and finally the Gorons. The only indication Link had that it was his turn to move was a stern nod from Commander Impa, and at that, he led the Royal Guard out of the Sanctum and down the winding hills. From his vantage point, Link could see the sheer amount of citizens crowding the central square of Castle Town, and lining the main road. There were still massive amounts of fireworks going off, yet despite this, Link could hear their cheers all the way from the top of Hyrule Castle.

Behind the Royal Guard and himself were rows upon rows of the Hyrulean Royal Army, with the Princess in the middle, seated upon an open carriage pulled by two pristine white horses.

It was a lot of pomp and grandeur to officially appoint the new Champions, but the King insisted on keeping up appearances, as well as boosting the citizen's morale.

It was a shame to get their hopes up, really.

As Link made his way through the great gates leading into the town, he braced himself. He was not sure what he had been expecting, but it was not this.

As they marched through the great gates leading into Castle Town, the whole city exploded in cheers and fanfare. The sides of the streets were packed with onlookers, hoping to get a glimpse at their new Champions. Tiny Hylians were lifted onto shoulders, their little arms waving little Hylian flags around in the air. It would seem that a holiday had been declared in Castle Town, as everyone was outside to welcome their new Champions. Time stood still for them, it seemed.

Link led the Hyrulean Royal Guard, their steps in perfect synchronization as they marched through the center of Castle Town. On a whim, Link lifted one of his hands to wave at the crowd, much like he saw the other four Champions doing, and he heard the cheers of the Hylians grow louder, and even saw some of the younger women squealing in his direction, a faint blush on their cheeks. Link smirked to himself, sending a wink and a smile off into the crowds. At this, he heard a crescendo in the squealing, and felt the Commander glaring daggers at his back.

He might as well have a little fun on this mission, right?

Finally, the scene changed, and they entered through another set of great gates, leading out of Castle Town and into the Hyrule Fields. The gates were closed behind them, to prevent the Hylian population from swarming the Sacred Grounds. The armies of each race dispersed, making their way to the battlements.

As the great gates leading into Castle Town closed with a resonating thud, the sounds of the wild overcame his senses. It was just him, the other four Champions, and the Princess, who had long since disembarked from her carriage.

Link stepped onto the platform last, and quickly realized that it was just he and the Princess standing in the center of the platform, with the four other Champions standing off to the eastern side of the platform. Not even their advisors had opted to stay. Perhaps it was that they were not allowed to stay.

He turned towards the Princess, who for the first time, opted to look at him in the eye. Her eyes looked disappointed, solemn, and Link couldn't think as to why it was directed towards him. He wasn't the failure here. She sighed, looking up towards the Goron Champion, and with a shake of her head, sighed.

She turned back to him, placing a hand out in front of her, "Sir Link, please kneel."

He did so, dropping elegantly to one knee, lowering his head: the perfect knight.

"Hero of Hyrule," The Princess began, her voice shuddering, "chosen by the Sword that Seals the Darkness, you have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity, and have proven yourself worthy of the blessings of the Goddess Hylia. Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight, the sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the hero. We pray for your protection, and we hope that the two of you will grow stronger together, as one."

For a moment, the Princess' hand dropped to her side, as she paused in her blessing. Link's ears perked up as he began to hear the sounds of whispered conversation coming from the other Champions. He couldn't tell what they were speaking of, but by the tones of their voices, it sounded like they were just as annoyed with this ceremony as he was.

The Princess shuddered, sighed, shivered, before she began again.

"Forged in the long-distant past, the sword that seals the darkness, guardian of Hyrule, ancient steel, forever bound to the hero, in the name of the Goddess Hylia, I bless you and your chosen hero. Over the seas of time and distance, when we need the golden power of the goddess, our hope rests in you to be forever by the hero's side. Furthermore, we pray that the two of you will grow stronger and be together as one."

The Princess' hand dropped to her side, then. Link waited a beat before lifting his head, his icy blue eyes meeting her emerald ones. Something shifted in the air, and though neither knew what it was, it caused the Champion's weight to shift and the Princess' eyes to widen slightly.

He spoke, his voice a whisper, cutting through the air with a two-fold promise, "I will not fail."

* * *

Between the ancient ceremonial blessing and the celebratory ball, there was a stretch of time that found the five Champions and the Princess in a small gazebo near the Princess's tower.

Link had been standing next to the Goron Champion, who he learned was named Daruk. It came as a surprise to him then, to learn that he had actually met Daruk just a couple of years prior. Link had been on a field expedition up in Death Mountain, gaining intelligence for his organization, when he was jumped by a hoard of Bokoblins. The monsters thought that they could catch him off guard. That was their first mistake. As Link had been fighting off the monsters left and right with his Windcleaver, he could have sworn that time had slowed down around him, and then it was child's play then to dispatch the monsters.

The Goron left his guard down, of course, as he approached. A black Bokoblin nearly snuck up behind him, but Link was sure to take care of that one too.

Daruk had insisted that he meet the Goron Elder and stay for lunch, and despite Link's distaste at the invitation, he hadn't eaten anything in the last three days and his hunger got the best of him. Unfortunately for him, he found that the Goron palate was only refined to a slab of rock roast.

He gracefully declined, and made his way south to try and find something that wouldn't shatter his jaw.

He was making small, idle conversation and desperately avoiding eye contact with Mipha, when the Rito interrupted.

"So you're this Hylian Champion I kept hearing about."

He turned his head slowly, only looking back with his eyes. The Rito stood there, proud and arrogant, "Aye."

"Ah, well met, then," The Rito sneered, his eyes narrowing, "Forgive me for not having the chance to introduce myself earlier. By the time you had arrived at the Sanctum, the ceremony was already beginning. Any later, and you would have been late. There simply hadn't been a moment to spare." Link chose not to respond at this, but turned his body slightly towards the Rito, "The name is Revali, Master Archer, and Pride of the Rito. And you? What might you be if not simply the Hylian Champion?"

This Rito was arrogant to a fault, and his condescending tone made his blood boil, but he kept a tight grip on his emotions, "Link."

"Ah, just Link, then?" Revali bristled, " Not 'Wielder of the Blade of Evil's Bane', 'chosen by the Goddess Hylia herself to exert the final blow to Calamity Ganon'? I'm sure you must have all sorts of stories of adventures and journeys to tell."

Oh sure: he could tell this hallow boned hawk of his mission last year to assassinate the mother of a clansman who betrayed their Master. He could tell him how her screams were left unheard in the valley of Shadow Hamlet, muffled under a pillow as he painted the walls of the clansman's childhood home red. He could tell him about how in the spirit of it, he went above and beyond, setting every home in that meager settlement ablaze.

He was the pinnacle self-control, however, and merely smiled, "There's not much to tell. I hail from Deya Village, and was a fisherman. I enlisted in the Hyrulean Royal Army just a few months ago."

"The Goddess must have a sense of humor," Revali muttered, his voice unwavering, "I am amazed that she has left the fate of the world in the hands of a _common man._ A man with hardly a title to his name before miraculously pulling that sword from the ground and foreshadowing the end of all days."

"Revali, that's enough," The Gerudo said, in a voice that was both firm and gentle.

"It's true, Urbosa!"

"Link," a small voice whispered, and Link instantly knew that his attempts at avoiding the tiny fish were over. Revali sidestepped away, muttering to himself, and in his wake was the small Zora. He met her eyes quickly, before they darted away, unable to meet her gaze.

"Hello, Mipha," he whispered, keeping his voice quiet as the rest of the Champions went to surround the Princess.

"It's good to see you again," Mipha whispered, a cold webbed fin reaching up to touch him on the arm. As if on instinct, Link sidestepped easily, avoiding her touch and her gaze.

"It's good to see you too, Mipha," Link murmured.

"Link," Mipha whispered, "It's been so long. You look so much different now than the child I once knew."

Link shrugged and said, simply, "I grew up," and it was the truth too. He was no longer the same child that frequented summers spent in Zora's Domain.

"I can see that," Mipha nodded, "and after a while, I stopped hearing from you. I worried for you."

Aye, there's the rub. But what exactly could he say? He had stopped responding to her letters as his mother grew sick, upon receiving word from her that her healing abilities would be ineffectual to his mother, and then wasn't even around to receive them during his tenure out west. He couldn't just tell her that for five years of that time, he had enlisted with the Yiga Clan. He couldn't just tell her that the only reason their paths had crossed again was because he was on a highly sensitive mission to assassinate the Princess of Hyrule.

Rather than lie, Link stuck to the truths he knew he could say, "My mother got sick after that last summer," Link replied, his eyes turning cold and distant, "I had to take the time to take care of her. It wasn't exactly at the top of my priorities to reply to your letters."

"Oh, Link, I remember you mentioning that in one of your letters… before I stopped hearing from you," Mipha said, "How is she doing now?"

"She's dead."

"Oh, Link…" Mipha whispered, her golden eyes a sad sort of thing, "I'm so sorry to hear that. Perhaps, if you wanted," Mipha continued, her hands shaking at her side, "We could go fishing together along the Zora River… just like old times. We could catch up on the time lost."

Link squinted slightly, his mind calculating, before it finally hit him like a slab of ice in the Gerudo Valley. The Zora Princess had a sort of crush on him, and she was using the death of his mother as _leverage._ Good grief, she probably had no idea what she was doing, either. The poor fish was truly clueless, wasn't she?

"As much as I would enjoy that very much," Link began, his face conforming to firm neutrality, "As the Princess' appointed knight, my role is to stay with her at all times, protecting her from harm's way. Also, as the Hylian Champion, in the wake of Calamity Ganon's return, all efforts must be pointed towards eradicating the threat at large."

"Oh, I see…" Mipha whispered, her bashful eyes meeting cold, icy blue, "But perhaps, after –"

"What did you think we were going to accomplish by having the Princess perform that blasted ceremony?" Revali's cold, sharp voice rang out from across the gazebo, putting an end to their miserable exchange.

Mipha moved towards the conversation, losing her courage and leaving Link alone on the other side of the porch.

"I had thought that maybe, going through the ancient ceremonial blessing would have awakened something in the Princess," Daruk said, his tone jovial despite the accusation.

"Sadly, but no," The Princess whispered, her eyes downcast.

"It was worth a try though, if anything. I'm sorry it didn't work, Tiny Princess; I couldn't bear to see you so sad. That's all."

"That's kind of you, thank you."

"But I tell ya," Daruk sighed, gesturing towards Revali, moving towards Link and stretching his massive arms, "Those formal shindigs really take it out of me."

"So this is the Sheikah Slate, eh?" Revali scoffed, holding up the tiny device. It was the same small tablet the Princess had held in the courtyard within Hyrule Castle before the Guardian incident.

"It is," The Princess said, her voice sounding more uplifted at the change of subject, "Apparently, there are more uses for it than we originally thought. Sadly, we've yet to decipher all of its secrets."

At this, Revali tossed it to the small Zora Princess, who just managed to barely catch it before it shattered to the ground.

"The Princess showed me something strange recently," Urbosa commented, "Somehow, it can create true-to-life images."

"Oh, wow," Mipha gasped, her eyes alight. She looked up at the Princess, "I would love to see it."

Mipha paused, a thought being formulated in her head, "Um, Princess" She turned around, making eye contact again with Link, "May I ask a special favor of you?"

"What is it?" The Princess asked, her voice soft on the wind.

Mipha turned back towards the Princess, "The next time that the six of us are all together, it… it very well might be on the battlefield in our attack against the Calamity Ganon. I was wondering… no, I was hoping that we might be able to create one of those true-to-life images now, to forever remember this moment of peace."

The Princess opened her mouth, and she looked as though she were about to object, before Daruk's brassy voice cut in, "I think that sounds like a great idea! What better way to show our unity as Champions than with a portrait together!"

"But this Sheikah Slate," Revali cut in, "It requires someone to operate it, does it not? I would not trust anyone but the Princess to handle it."

"Actually," the Princess said, a rare smile forming on her face, "I think I know of just the person."

* * *

That portrait had been a waste of his time.

The Sheikah scientist, Purah, had been fetched to operate the slate, and had the six of them all lined up. At the very last moment, Daruk had slammed his massive hands together on other side of them, jostling the five of them and effectively ruining the portrait.

Link could already feel the bruises forming on his arm from where the Zora Princess had collided with him.

Now, he stood, near the stairs of the Great Hall, with the other Champions, watching as the orchestra tuned as the night transitioned from dinner to dancing. He and the Champions were sat with the Princess and the King at dinner, and though a few questions had been directed at him, he had left the bulk of the conversation to them. The King made a joke about how he was fitting the role of the 'silent and stoic knight' quite well.

The King, of course, didn't realize the hidden truths behind his words.

Before the orchestra began, they looked towards the Princess expectantly. It would seem that she would begin the dancing for the night. She sighed, her blue dress billowing off her in waves, before she lifted her head, and began looking around for someone.

From the middle of the Great Hall, her head stopped, and she seemed to lock eyes with _him._

She walked towards him, her silk blue dress curling behind her, the room silent.

She stopped in front of the Champions, her eyes benevolent and benign, though, Link noticed, the Princess wasn't looking at him.

She held out her hand towards the Rito, her long fingers languid and regal.

"Master Revali," she stated, her eyes sparkling and never once looking towards Link, "Would you grace me with the first dance?"

Revali grinned at this, a charismatic thing, before falling into a deep bow, his feathers furrowing out against him, "I would be honored, your majesty."

He took her hand in his, and they sauntered out onto the ballroom floor, the Great Hall erupting into a polite applause. They reached the center of the floor and faced each other, the Princess gathering her skirts in one hand and placing her other hand on his shoulder. Revali, in turn, placed his wing on her waist and placed his other wing in hers. They looked at each other, shy little smiles erupting from both of them as they waited for the music to begin.

The orchestra was set, and then the conductor began, playing an upbeat little waltz. The pair waited for four counts of three before they began dancing, gliding across the floor in a pattern that Link was unfamiliar with. It must have been something about the Rito, where it looked as though he barely touched the ground before he was moving again. The Princess, similarly, was floating across the floor, though that could be more attributed to her grace than anything.

As the music and the dance progressed, more and more nobles joined into the dance, the ladies' dresses swirling around the hall in a magnificent ballet.

Lining the walls were various servants and members of the Royal Guard, dressed in their uniforms reserved strictly for formal events. One of the servants, however, caught his eye, his eyes sharper than a blade. He had to wonder…

"Sir Link," a timid voice breathed.

He broke eye contact with the servant, his head snapping sharply towards his right. There stood the Zora Princess, Mipha, dressed in her finest jewels and ornaments, her hands quivering.

His sharp gaze caused her eyes to shift downcast, before she took in a deep breath and looked him in the eye again, "I… I was wondering…"

Link saw the servant moving in the corner of his eye.

"Would you have this dance with me?"

Mipha had her webbed hand stretched out towards him. Link paused, his instincts having every intention of turning her down for the dance. But he reconsidered: he did have his appearance to keep up, and saying no could cause people to question his intentions.

Besides, he couldn't say he had ever danced with a fish before.

He allowed himself to smile, and took her hand in his, the webbed hand cool to the touch. Link shrugged off the shiver that threatened to envelop him at that, and led her out onto the ballroom floor.

He placed his hand on her waist, and intertwined his fingers with her other hand. She placed her other hand on his shoulder and shuddered, letting go of a deep breath she was holding.

"I must confess," Mipha whispered, "The Zoran Court dances are much different than that of the Hylian's. I'm afraid I don't know the steps."

This Royal Trout had the audacity to ask him to dance in a waltz she didn't know. Link had every mind to walk away from her at that moment, but he collected himself and allowed himself to smile, "That's okay; I don't know the steps either."

At this, the Zora Princess beamed, and together, they stumbled through, following as best as they may to the dancers around them. Truth be told, the two of them were not bad by any means, though the dance itself was fairly basic in design. More than once did Link see Revali scoff towards him as they grew closer together, before the dance separated them again.

And then Link made eye contact with the servant again.

The servant had moved, so he was within Link's line of sight for most of the dance. The servant's eyes were intense, never once faltering, before his lips twitched, and one corner of his mouth went up.

The servant's eyes flashed red for a fraction of a second. Had Link blinked, he would have missed it.

_Yiga._

It would seem that Link wasn't the only clansman to have infiltrated Hyrule Castle. Though Master Kohga had clearly stated that Link was to be sent without a brother. Did Master Kohga have a message for him? Was there a reason to risk having two Yiga Clansmen inside Hyrule Castle, doubling the risk of exposing him?

He looked back to the servant to find him already gone, leaving his questions to be unanswered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I packed a LOT of content into this chapter. I decided to cut the photo scene with the Sheikah Slate because I had typed it out and it was AWKWARD. Might be my fault because I didn't write it well enough, but I got rid of it. I love having a sort of hierarchy in the guard, and that a man can tell your ranking based off of what shield you have. A man and his shield… I contemplated whether the Royal or Royal Guard shield would be the top honor, and though the Royal Guard shield has a higher defense, I think based on the text surrounding each shield, and the fact that the Royal Guard shield highly lacks durability, its safe to say which is superior: it is the man without a broken shield. We got a taste of the Champions this chapter, and we will be getting up close and personal with each of them soon. Some of you may have already noticed, I have added a bit of dialogue, but more importantly, changed some dialogue in the memories to better suit this story. You'll see a lot more of that in the next chapter; I really had a lot of fun writing 'Revali's Gale'.
> 
> Also, I wasn't going to give Link the backstory with Mipha at first; I thought it might get too complicated and out of hand. But then the more I thought about it, the juicier it became, and I really wanted to be able to utilize the dialogue from their memory later on (I would have had to scrap ALL of it). Besides, I think their shared past is still viable: summers spent in the Domain till around age 10, then mother dearest gets sick, Link stops responding to letters as he begins his downward spiral, mother dies, and he switches allegiance to the clan. Really, I think that's the catalyst that makes this story possible. That's the turning point. That's where the AU begins. Gah. I love story building.


	5. Chapter 5

The next few weeks went by without much consequence. Link developed a sort of routine with the Princess as her appointed knight, though much to her dismay. She seemed intent on breaking free of this routine, and would change things up, adjusting her whereabouts, such as heading to the library _before_ she had her tea instead of after. Link, however, ever vigilant as he was, was always one step ahead, and made sure to always accompany her wherever she went. He would be the perfect knight, and leave no room for mistakes, lest the Commander find out and drag him by the ear to the King for 'shirking his duties'.

The Princess, noticing that she never got a moment to herself any longer, made a habit to surround herself with other people that _weren't_ him, and most of the time, she would find herself in the company of the Sheikah scientists Robbie and Purah, either fine tuning the Sheikah Slate, mapping the coordinates of potential locations of the so called 'towers', or tinkering heavily with the Guardians.

Link was always sure to have his shield at the ready every time she went near one of those things.

But the incident with the Guardian seemed to be a one-time thing. The Princess approached the Guardians time and time again, an air of wistfulness about her, always tinkering with the reflexes of the Guardian's legs, or the sharpness of the Guardian's eye, or documenting how quickly the head of the Guardian could swivel around. Never once did the machine seem to turn hostile towards her.

Link did not catch wind of the undercover Yiga within Hyrule Castle. Though there was nothing outstanding about the man – he was disguised quite plainly and unremarkably – it was rare for Link to forget a face. But it had seemed that the clansman had vanished, perhaps literally, into thin air. Perhaps it was that he had seen all that he had needed to see, and had already teleported back to their hideout in the Karusa Valley, to inform Master Kohga of the Lieutenant's progress.

Life around the castle was beginning to get monotonous for Link. However, it was not much longer then, until the Princess received letters from the Champions, indicating their development with their Divine Beasts.

The first of the letters came from Princess Mipha a week prior to the rest. She had already mastered control on her Divine Beast, and simply only requested an audience "at your earliest convenience; really, take your time, there is absolutely no rush".

The next two letters both had the same request, but for different reasons. They both requested that the Princess come to take a look at their Divine Beast straightaway. The Rito, piloting Vah Medoh, simply wanted to show off his exemplary progress with the beast. The Goron, piloting Vah Rudania, however, was struggling with his, and requested aid.

A letter had not been received from the Gerudo, but the Princess was certain that it would come in time.

A plan was formulated then: the two of them were to travel by horse first to Rito Village to the northwest, and then make their way north to Goron City from there. Not that the Princess said any of this to Link; no, he was made privy to this information by Commander Impa, as the Princess had not said a word to him since the ancient ceremonial blessing on the Sacred Grounds.

The information from the Commander also came with a threat, to not harm a hair on the Princess's head, along with something else of eradicating the rest of his clan.

The Commander simply wouldn't let that go, it seemed. A pity.

They were to leave at first light, and naturally, Link was awake an hour prior, and was outside the Princess's door by the time she left her quarters. As she opened the door, her first expression was one of surprise, and then it quickly transformed to displeasure and frustration. Without a word to her appointed knight, she huffed, and made her way down the hall and out, towards the stables.

The Princess was wearing a light blue tunic that seemed reminiscent of the Champion's tunics she had embroidered for them. Except this tunic was not embroidered with anything specific, considering the Champion's all had their Divine Beast's and Link's the hilt of the Master Sword.

Well, seeing as the Princess had yet to unlock her sealing powers, it _was_ only fitting.

She wore tight, black riding pants, of that which were tucked into exquisitely crafted leather boots. As she walked briskly in front of Link, he simply could not help it as his eyes were dragged lower and lower until they came to rest on the Princess's backside. He was thankful, in that moment, for the halls of Hyrule Castle being deserted in this early hour, for he did not need an accusation of him leering at the Princess.

However, in the early hours of the morning with not a witness in sight, he let his mind wander as he basked in the sight. Who was to say that his mission had to be all work and no play?

The horses used by the Royal Family and that of the Royal Guard were kept in the Hyrule Fields, at a ranch not far from Castle Town. The ranch hands had already been expecting them, and had their two horses prepared. The Princess's horse was a purebred white stallion, named Storm, decked out in the finest royal regalia. Storm was also infamous to have a temper from time to time, and it seemed this day was no different, as his hooves stamped and pounded into the ground. Link's horse of choice was a chestnut brown horse with white socks named Epona, who was as gentle as she was strong. She was not the fastest horse by any means, but for what she did not make up for in speed she made up for in stamina.

Traveling by horse, the way to Rito Village was just over a half a day's journey. They would travel as far as they could, and then take the last of the journey on foot. The Princess led the way, making their way through Carok Village and across the Carok Bridge, and then through the Breach of Demise. Through the breach, it was noticeably cooler, as the shadows from the canyon covered the path at all times of the day. As Link looked upwards, he noticed boulders that seemed precariously positioned, as though it would take a simple shove from the average soldier to push it into the canyon.

It wasn't called the Breach of Demise for nothing: countless incidents had been recorded at that very same canyon, of soldiers and civilians meeting their untimely end due to a boulder giving way, or by a well timed ambush by bandits.

The canyon was, naturally, on survey by soldiers of the Royal Army at all times of the day, keeping watch of any suspicious activity, or seismic activity, for that matter. It made the breach a relatively safe path to the east, but even Link knew that a simple soldier was no match in strength or speed to an oncoming boulder.

It wasn't long before they stopped at the Tabantha Bridge Stable for lunch, which was unsurprisingly silent between the two. The Tabantha Frontier was stunning at this time of year, with its leaves turning a mix of red and orange that would rival Akkala, had there just been more than a seldom few. The Hebra Mountains loomed in the distance. Their peaks were covered in a white snow, and it wouldn't be much longer before those snows coated the frontier as well. As the Princess was distracted with the scenery, snapping photos with the Sheikah Slate here and there, he took the liberty of boarding up their horses, tossing each of them a few apples.

The way to Rito Village from there featured precarious bridges such as the Kolami. Their horses would not be able to find their footing. They would take the rest of the journey from here on foot.

For lunch, Link scavenged some nearby mushrooms, noticing with a sly sort of smile that some of the mushrooms up in that region were visibly poisonous. He had to wonder if any of the other knights had the same perception that he had on identifying poisonous plants. It was a wonder that the Princess had even been kept alive up to this point; with all of the forces in Hyrule set out to end her life.

It was really a good thing that she was left in his charge. They couldn't have her dying prematurely, now could they?

He cooked up a basic mushroom skewer over the fire, understanding that through it was barbaric in design, it was really the best the Princess was going to get as far as sustenance went. As he passed her one, he reveled in the prim look she gave the skewer, before she lifted it daintily to her lips and took a bite. He nearly cackled to himself then, as she fought with herself, as she did not want to like it, but could not deny that it was delicious. She, begrudgingly, ate every last bite.

They left soon after that, crossing the Tabantha Great Bridge overlooking the Tanagar Canyon. As they crossed, Link noticed the Princess wistfully looking upwards towards their left, to where at the peak of the Rayne Highlands sat the Ancient Columns. She seemed distracted; almost, and nearly fell off of the bridge doing so and into the canyon.

Which would completely ruin Link's mission. Really, she should be more considerate.

By the time they had crossed the great bridge, the Princess finally came up with the idea to take a picture of the highlands with the Sheikah Slate. Good: take a picture, it'll last longer.

They made their way through the valley, around the great bend near Nero Hill and across Kolami Bridge near Strock Lake. There, Link made a point to offer the Princess his arm as they crossed the thin, woven bridge, but she unapologetically declined, pressing onward with shaking steps, taking unobstructed pictures of Rito Village as she went.

From their vantage point, they could clearly see Vah Medoh flying ominously above Rito Village.

They made it to Rito Village just before sundown, and were met by a flock of Rito to welcome them. Revali, of course, was amongst this flock, and bowed in a sweeping gesture towards the Princess, never once looking at Link.

"Princess, we thank you for making this trip to Rito Village," Revali began, an esteemed look on his face, "I, of course, have made exemplary advancement with the Divine Beast Vah Medoh, and I am pleased to be the first of the Champions to have tamed their beast."

"Actually," the Princess began, a small smile on her face, "It was Princess Mipha that mastered her Divine Beast first. She sent a letter about a week ago, stating that she had mastered its controls."

"Oh," Revali mustered, taken aback, "I see. Well, in any case, I am sure that, with your love of the ancient Sheikah technology, that you are absolutely _dying_ to see how the beast functions."

"I would love that," the Princess murmured, "I have yet to be inside one of these Divine Beasts."

"Oh?" Revali questioned, a smirk on his face, "So you mean to tell me that the Princess of Hyrule has yet to see how these beasts function? Well, Vah Medoh just happens to be my area of expertise. And perhaps, while we are up there, we can take a look out on all of Hyrule."

"You mean… up there…?" The Princess pointed vaguely upwards, having not connected the dots that she would be flying high in the sky.

"Indeed, Princess – why, it's what makes Vah Medoh clearly the superior of all the Divine Beasts," Revali finally glanced towards Link, "Of course, I am but one Rito, and cannot carry both you and your – er – appointed knight up there; however, I am sure your appointed knight will find it satisfactory to enjoy the fine amenities Rito Village has to offer while you are away."

"That is reasonable, yes."

"Absolutely not."

Both Link and the Princess said this at the same time, and not a second later did the Princess whip her head back towards her knight, her eyes blazing and defiant.

"Sir Link," The Princess began, a fire in her voice, "There is absolutely no reason for you to accompany me onto the Divine Beast. With Revali up there with me, I will be perfectly safe."

"Princess, I am under direct orders from the King to protect you at all times. I'm afraid this is nonnegotiable."

"Princess, if I may," Revali cut in, an insincere glare coming from his eyes, "While your knight, I'm sure, has your best intentions at heart, he seems to be taking his role a bit too seriously. I must ask of you, _Hero,_ do you know of any monsters that can fly to the same altitudes of which Vah Medoh can ascend?"

Link bit his tongue, holding back a fiery retort. Revali smirked and carried on.

"I thought not. Therefore, what use could you possibly have escorting her onto the Divine Beast if there is nothing that warrants her protection?"

"It's the principle of the matter –"

"Oh, I'm sure you are bound by honor and oath, but truly, if you want to protect her, wouldn't you be more useful on land, with that little sword of yours, where you can protect her from incoming monsters that could harm her and the villagers?" Revali smirk turned into a fully blown grin, "Face it, _H_ _ero_ , your place isn't up there in the beast, it's just below it, isn't it?"

Link wanted to pluck that bird raw and send him careening into Lake Totori, but instead, he breathed in sharply through his nostrils, pinching the bridge of his nose, before he locked eyes with the bird, "If she is hurt in any way, if she so much as has one hair out of place, I'll –"

"Yeah, yeah, there will be hell to pay, I get it," Revali finished for him.

Well, he was _going_ to say he was going to roast the bird over an open flame, but he supposed 'hell to pay' summed it up quite nicely.

They pressed onwards into the village, and its residents welcomed the Princess warmly. She opted to turn in for the night, and was led to one of the few enclosed huts in the village. The vast majority of them were open to the elements, and nights in Rito Village were brisk at best. Naturally, the Rito had thought not of where the Princess's appointed knight would make his lodgings, and he was pointed noncommittally to the local inn, where they promised in a vague sort of way that they were "sure the innkeeper would comp him – yeah, for sure".

But he opted not for the local inn; instead, he planted himself on the floor outside of the Princess' hut after she had retired for the night, his blade unsheathed, resting next to him. Prior to this, he had changed into a woolen shirt to go under his tunic, but as far as combating the elements, that was about as warm as he was going to get.

He was in for a long night.

The next morning found him in the same place outside of the Princess's hut, except this time, he was frozen to the core, having huddled in on himself to keep warm. He had a deep panging regret for having stayed outside in the elements all night. Was it worth it? He, trying to play the role of the appointed knight so perfectly, if only to slightly deter that damned Sheikah of his intentions?

She wasn't even here, but that Rito was, and he was certain he would give for anything to find fault in the so-called 'Hero'.

The Princess rose with the sun, departing from her hut in thick furs and velvets, paying not a glance towards her appointed knight. She simply pretended he wasn't there, greeting the Rito throughout the village with a kind expression. She broke fast with the Elder of the Rito, to which Link was uninvited, before she and Revali would head to the Divine Beast.

Link stood, on the landing, watching as the beast levitated above the village, with only what seemed to be miniscule propellers keeping it afloat. He had to wonder what other technology aided the beast in staying afloat. Nothing that he would get to see up close, that was for sure.

Suddenly, the landing shook, and Link nearly lost his footing. For a moment, he thought the landing was to collapse into the lake below, but he found that wasn't quite it.

From beneath the landing in a gust of wind, Revali soared skyward, his gale spinning the air around him like a cyclone. Link shielded his eyes, dust flying upwards, being uprooted and billowing towards his face. The Rito handed on the railing of the landing, clearly showing off his impeccable balance and skill.

"Impressive, I know," The bird was a narcissistic bastard. It was like he had something to prove, "Very few can achieve a mastery of the sky. Yet I have made an art of creating an updraft that allows me to soar. It's considered to be quite the masterpiece of aerial techniques, even among the Rito."

"What do you want, Revali?" Link muttered, keeping the seething in his voice down to a low simmer.

"Why, I mean only to help you," Revali actually smiled, a devious glint in his eye, "With proper utilization of my superior skills, I see no reason why we couldn't easily dispense with Ganon. Now then," Revali leaped from the railing onto the wooden platform, "my ability to explore the firmament is certainly of note…" He whipped around Link, standing close to his left side, his breath hot on his ear, "But let's not – pardon me for being so blunt –" he placed a wing on the Hero's back, like they were old chums, "Let's not forget the fact that I am the most skilled archer of all the Rito."

"What are you getting at?" Link muttered, shaking the wing off of him.

Revali's friendly façade turned sour. He bristled, "Despite these truths," he snapped, "it seems that I have been tapped to merely _assist_ you: all because you happen to have that little darkness-sealing sword on your back," he paused, turning away, "I mean, it's just… asinine."

"Sounds like your problem lies with the Goddess Hylia, and not me," Link retorted, turning on his heel to walk away.

"Unless," Revali drawled, an idea forming. Link paused mid-step, "You think you can prove me wrong? Maybe we should just settle this one on one."

Link paused, turning his cheek a fraction towards the bird, "What did you have in mind? An archery match?"

Revali nodded slightly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "But where…? Oh, I know! How about up there!"

He gestured up towards where the flying mechanical beast was ominously flying. Link stared, incredulous for a moment, before the Rito began to laugh.

"Oh, to see the look on your face! Oh, you must pardon me," Revali composed himself, wiping a wing across his eye theatrically, "I forgot you have no way of making it up to that Divine Beast on your own! After all, your place isn't up there with the beast; it's just below it, isn't it?"

With that, Revali opened his wings and soared into the sky through his gale, the cyclone knocking Link back a few steps.

"Good luck sealing the darkness!" His voice was faint, high above the clouds now, his laughter even fainter, as he disappeared into the sky.

With that, Link spun and stormed off, looking for an open area that didn't have an opening to a drop hundreds of meters down, where he could practice with his sword and let off some steam.

He wanted to kill something.

More specifically, he wanted to kill that egotistical, narcissistic, hallow-boned hawk.

He needed to get out of here before he did something rash.

He made his way down the spiral village to the ground and crossed the bridge to the first of the three small islands connecting the island of the Rito to the mainland.

Here, he could let off steam without drawing attention to himself.

Not long after that, Revali came back for the Princess, once she was done with her audience with the Elder. From Link's vantage point, he could see when Revali and the Princess leapt from the landing. They were swooped up into the air in an updraft, and they were flying higher and higher, until they were naught but a pinpoint in the sky, indistinguishable from the beast.

His sword swung, hitting a nearby boulder, and he watched it satisfyingly as it was obliterated into smithereens.

And with his next swing, he very nearly took off the head of the poor Rito courier that had approached him.

"Hey, watch it with that thing!" The Rito courier yelped, holding onto his hat for dear life.

Link sighed, sheathing his sword, his blood sated for the moment, "What is it?"

"I have a letter for you, from the Commander of the Hyrulean Royal Army."

Commander Impa? Good grief, what did she want now?

With an impatient aura about him, he placed his hand out. The courier placed a simple missive in his hand, sealed with the Hylian seal. Link tipped the courier and the Rito headed off, muttering to himself about needing hazard pay for his job.

Link opened the missive and unrolled its contents.

_The path through the Breach of Demise has been compromised. A loose boulder from the most eastern cliff was loosened by seismic activity, and has created substantial damage to the Carok Bridge. You are advised to take the Princess south through Safula Hill, and then finally across the Manhala Bridge, before you make your way north towards Death Mountain._

It was brief, but its contents were clear. With the Carok Bridge being put out of commission, the trek south to only go north would add a day, if not more, to their journey. It was time that they did not have, and seeing as the Rito had a fine handle on his beast, while the Goron did not, it only made sense as to who got more of the Princess time.

Really, it was a pity they had to cut their stay short with the bird, but alas: duty calls.

Later that evening, when the Princess had departed from the beast, red cheeked and starry eyed, Link briefed her on the message from the Commander. The Princess, in turn, snatched the missive from his hands and read it herself, as he explained that they would need to leave at first light the next morning to make it to Goron City on time. It came almost as a surprise to Link when the Princess begrudgingly agreed with him, stating his thoughts exactly that the Goron Champion had a far greater need for their aid.

By morning, they bid farewell to the Rito's, watching as the small little fledglings fluttered about: their cries shrill and playful. The Rito Champion stood amongst them, an unreadable look on his face, waving noncommittally towards the Princess – never her knight.

They made great time, making their way to the Tabantha Great Bridge by midday. They opted not to stop for lunch, but instead picked up their horses from the Tabantha Bridge Stable, going off in a controlled canter through the Seres Scablands. At the fork in the road at the West Hyrule Plains, they trekked southbound, across the gentle hills of Safula, and finally across the Manhala Bridge.

The Princess said not a word to Link throughout this journey – that is, until they came across Lake Kolomo, where she suggested that they make camp.

"Why would we make camp here?" Link questioned, as the Princess snapped her head towards him, "Your highness. What I mean is, the castle is not much further off. If we were to stop for the night, we might as well carry on into the dusk to the castle. I'm sure you would be more comfortable there."

"Not quite," The Princess whispered, unbuckling her packs from Storm's saddle, "It's quite nice, actually, laying out amongst the stars; listening to the gentle sounds of the water against the shore. It's not as stuffy out here, as it is in there."

It seemed she was speaking with two meanings behind her words.

"In that case," Link offered, "We should at least head over to Kolomo Garrison across the lake. I'm certain the provisions there will be much better than what we find out here in the wild."

The Princess nodded, her gaze distant, and Link took that as a sign to tie up their horses, before they made their way on foot to the garrison.

"From here, we will make our way to Goron City," she said, the Sheikah Slate in her hands as she walked, "Then, we'll need some adjustments on that Divine Beast so Daruk can manage it as easily as possible. He's figured out how to get it to move… however, it's apparent that we still have much more to learn. But to think, that Divine Beast was actually built by _people…"_

She seemed distracted with the contents of the Sheikah Slate. Perhaps it was a diagram of one of the beasts she was studying?

"That means," she continued, "We should be able to understand how it works and how to use it to our advantage," she signed, lowering the slate, "These Divine Beasts… so much we don't know… but if we want to turn back Calamity Ganon, they're our best hope."

She stopped, suddenly, her hands falling to her sides. She was silent for a moment, and Link could have sworn she saw her shoulders shake as she breathed out. She shuddered.

"Tell me the truth," she whispered, her tone soft yet demanding, "How proficient are you, right now, wielding that sword on your back."

He felt compelled to answer brashly, yet thought better of it.

"Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it. Can you hear it yet… hero?"

An ancient voice? Now that was definitely something straight out of fairytales. As though he could possibly hear a sword _whisper_ to him.

To quote Revali, it was… asinine.

Yet… he would be lying to himself if he thought he hadn't heard something from that day deep in the Korok Forest. It had spoken to him, in a language that he did not understand, calling _him_ master… could this be that ancient voice that she spoke of?

It was a foolish notion, really. He had already chalked it up to just being the wind. It was just an exquisitely crafted blade. For all he knew, it was a plot created by the King of Hyrule simply to find a man who was strong enough to pull a sword from stone.

The Princess turned around, having not expected an answer, and headed back the way they came, "I'm actually not hungry, anymore, it seems," she whispered, "I do believe I will just turn in for the night."

She walked back towards their camp, where their two horses were grazing amongst the wild. Link, immediately, fell into step behind her, mistaking the humming of his sword to be the wind, yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am beginning to understand the struggle that us authors have when writing a 'fill in the blanks' pre-BotW story. Our hero and the princess are EVERYWHERE, and it is a mess to justify it. You have to wonder, why they start out in Rito Village, only to move south just to say "We'll make our way to Goron City", and then go north, when the quickest path was not taken. Also, memory 3, when you look closely in the background, they are walking TOWARDS the Bridge of Hylia, you can see it in the background. Gah. I suppose that gives me the chance to add in reasons why they might go south, give them a justification to their long workaround, and build their world, or perhaps the memories are days or weeks apart, and there's a different reason for them to take that path. I'm already taking liberties with some of the memories, like switching 'A Premonition' with the scene at the Royal Ancient Lab (I've seen some authors do this, and it just makes more sense), as well as smacking 'Subdued Ceremony' in the middle of the Champion's Ceremony memory.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! Writing the scene with the hallow-boned hawk was so fun to write!


	6. Chapter 6

They slept under the stars that night, along the shoreline of Lake Kolomo. By morning, the Princess seemed more refreshed, or perhaps it was a sense of relief. Link was not sure, nor did he quite care. They packed up their small camp and left not long after first light, making their way towards the high northeast; where Death Mountain shook and only the sturdy Gorons could live comfortably.

Link had packed several fireproof elixirs with him, knowing full well that the Princess wouldn't think to pack any herself, and that it did not do him any good to have her burn to a crisp.

The trip to Goron City was uneventful: bright, if anything. There was not a cloud in the sky, and the closer they got to Death Mountain, the more sweltering the weather became. Death Mountain, barren as it was, was situated next to some of the most tranquil regions in all of Hyrule. To the east was the heart of Lanayru, to her pride and joy in Zora's Domain, and next to that was the peaceful Akkala: a land of perpetual autumn. To the west was the Great Hyrule Forest, where time was suspended; its cherry blossom leaves doing well to shut out the rest of the world.

Link and the Princess, on the path they took, were travelling right into the Maw of Death Mountain, where you would do well to watch where you step.

And Link very nearly stepped into a puddle of lava, seeping from the active volcano's core. Yes, it was about time for one of those elixirs.

Just before the maw, Link and the Princess had lodged both of their horses at the Foothill Stable, knowing that the climate of Eldin was inhospitable for them. Link had approached the counter, sliding a gold rupee across the table, with the promise that they would be back for their horses in two days time. He truly did not anticipate the Princess wanting to stay too long in the heat of Goron City, no matter how fascinated she was with its Divine Beast.

Now Link, he understood heat. The Gerudo Desert was a land where it never rained, where sweltering, dry heat would pick off even the strongest of the Yiga Clan. One ill-prepared trip into the desert meant certain death for any clansman. However, the desert grew cold at night, giving the land a chance to cool down before heating back up again in the morn.

Eldin knew of no such thing.

The land of the Goron's was blistering at all times of the day. It did not matter if the sun had gone down hours prior, and the land was no longer bathed in its heat: it did not need it. The active volcano did well to keep the land at a boiling temperature, even in the light of the moon.

The Princess spent the trek up the winding hills to Goron City paying him no mind, which was of no consequence to him. However, she was constantly on the move with that Sheikah Slate in front of her nose, documenting anything and everything that she could for her compendium. More than once did Link have to steer her by the elbow lest she walk straight into a puddle of lava, and more than once did the Princess yank her elbow away from him, like _he_ was the one that had burnt her in that searing climate.

The two of them arrived at Goron City by midafternoon, the two of them sweating in the heat despite their fireproof elixirs. The Gorons were a humble people, and simply smiled and waved and went about their day, rolling around in the dirt, bathing in the sun, with not a care in the world. The Goron Champion Daruk was at the entrance of the city, his massive frame taking up nearly the entire walkway. His smile was about as wide as Death Mountain itself, as he clapped his big hands together!

"Little guy! Princess! You finally made it! Welcome to Goron City!" The blusterous Goron exclaimed, clapping Link on the back roughly.

Link stumbled, the breath knocked out of him, and he had to fight every urge he had to glare at the Goron. Truth be told, he liked Daruk. He was the only one of the Champions who did not seem like they had something to prove. He was also probably the only one of the Champions who actually had a pack to their punch.

It was a shame he probably wouldn't survive Ganon's return.

"Thank you, Daruk," the Princess said, diplomatically, "We came as soon as we could from Rito Village. You had mentioned in your letter that you were having trouble controlling the beast?"

"Aye, Tiny Princess," Daruk confessed, "I mean, I can get it to _move_ alright, but as far as where or how it moves, I'm completely helpless," he scratched the back of his head bashfully, "Why, I tried to get Rudania to move around the middle of the mountain, and the beast just up and decided that he would dig his claws into the mountain, sending a tumble of boulders into Goron City. The brothers were all fine, nothing substantial was damaged, but we cannot have that happen again."

"Agreed," the Princess murmured, "It is fascinating, however, that the beasts do seem to have a mind of their own, doesn't it?"

"Oh Rudania?" Daruk laughed, "Rudania is a feisty little guy; he's rebellious in nature, that one."

"When is the soonest we can head up into the Divine Beast?" The Princess asked, her eyes alight, "I would very much like to see it in person and begin preparations for the adjustments."

"We can head up first thing in the morning, if you would like" Daruk offered, gesturing towards the mountain with a giant hand, "I've got the beast in idle at the base of the mountain just past the Bridge of Eldin."

The Princess nodded her head fervently, and the next morning, the three of them made their way up the winding, and quite frankly, confusing, roads in Goron City. The Princess did not try to make a point to exclude Link from this beast. Truly, she did not have much of an argument, unless Vah Rudania suddenly grew wings.

They passed by an odd sort of monument near the top of the city, which the Princess excitedly approached, and dimly began placing the Sheikah Slate on its various surfaces, as though she were trying to place it in a crevice. She huffed, after a few seconds of this. She looked at the Slate, and then back at the monument, before she turned around entirely and looked Link straight in the eye. She shook her head and placed the Slate back at her hip, moving back towards the two of them, muttering to herself.

They followed the path that wrapped around the cliffs, passing the North Mine, which was bustling with activity. The brothers working the mine all looked up at the sight of the two tiny Hylians, and upon recognizing the Princess of Hyrule, each of them shot a hand up in the air, waving it towards the Princess, a benevolent smile on their faces. The Princess could not help but smile at this, raising a delicate hand in the air towards them as well.

Soon, they passed through a small tunnel, until they were on a suspended bridge above the city. Instantly, warning bells went through Link's head, noticing the lack of sturdy handrails, and that the ones existing were all made of metal, cooking in the hot Eldin sun.

Really, it was proving to be a struggle to keep the Princess safe from harm until the eve of the Demon King's return. Wasn't his entire mission _to_ assassinate her?

He held out his arm for her, nearly thinking that she would not think to grab it, but was surprised when delicate hands wrapped themselves around his bicep, the grip surprisingly strong. It seemed that even in her distaste of him, her realization of her mortality suspended above a hot burning village outweighed her revulsion of him.

The way from here was littered with various monsters: mostly Octoroks and the occasional Lizalfo. Daruk dispatched all of these effortlessly with the massive claymore on his back – if you could even call it that. It was nearly double the size of Link, and probably weighed as much as the King of Hyrule himself. By the time they made it to the Bridge of Eldin, the sun was at its highest point in the sky, beating down on them mercilessly. Daruk seemed completely unfazed at this, but the Princess was struggling, as was Link too, if he were honest. They had each had a fireproof elixir before they made their way up the winding path, but Link was already digging in his pack, taking out an additional elixir for both him and the Princess.

As they looked across the bridge, the Princess nearly stopped in her tracks, and Link audibly gasped.

Divine Beast Vah Rudania was massive, and resembled the shape of a lizard. Link had only seen Vah Medoh from the ground, and from there, it did not seem to be a massive structure. However, up close, he could see that the Divine Beasts were not simply ancient tools built by the Ancient Sheikah.

They were massive weapons.

If the Yiga Clan could get their hands on these Divine Beasts, not only would it ensure the Demon King Ganon's victory, but also it would ensure that all of Hyrule would be down on their knees, begging for mercy. Even one of these would help to even the playing field, and would make the Yiga Clan a name that once again made the people of Hyrule tremble.

Daruk laughed heartily, the beast lowering flush to the ground with the movement of his hand, "They definitely don't call these the Divine _Beasts_ for nothing."

Daruk hoisted Link up onto the main platform heading into the Divine Beast, before lifting the Princess up. Link reached a hand down to the Princess as Daruk raised her up. She primly accepted it, though once she was back on her two feet, she immediately let go, dusting her pants off.

"Out of the way, tiny Hylians!" Daruk bellowed, and Link and the Princess stared at each other briefly before they launched themselves into the interior of the Divine Beast. Then, Daruk landed on the platform himself, having vaulted himself from the ground.

"Alright, so Princess, what is it that you're looking for in order to make these adjustments?"

"It's what Purah and Robbie call a 'Guidance Stone'," the Princess supplied, "It does exactly what it sounds like. It helps to calibrate and guide the beast. I will need you to try and move the beast as I make adjustments to it to better fit it to your needs."

They moved downward into the beast, which was a massive slope into the pit of Vah Rudania. Once inside, Link was astonished. It was like a massive palace, made out of materials Link could scarcely hope to identify. However, perhaps the most impressive thing though, was the state of the beast. Having learned that these Four Great Relics were at least ten thousand years old, they hardly looked it, and the lack of erosion and depreciation was truly astounding.

The Princess led the way into the beast, and seemed to know precisely where this 'Guidance Stone' was. As far as Link knew, she had never been inside this beast before. Perhaps she had memorized blueprints of the beasts. She approached it, the Guidance Stone emitting a soft, ominous hum, and with a sort of practiced ease, she took the slate from her belt and pressed it into the indentation in the stone.

The slate turned one hundred and eighty degrees on the stone, and then the stone moved another ninety degrees, before locking into place, like a strange, convoluted puzzle. The slate, then, glowed orange, emitting a soft chime. Above her, a strange rock turned a florescent cerulean, and Link saw strange texts he did not recognize melting down like condensation on a rocky wall. It cumulated in a drop before it splashed onto the slate. The Princess, looking quite pleased with herself, lifted the slate from the Guidance Stone.

She pointed the Sheikah Slate towards Daruk, keeping it just out of Link's field of vision, "You see this here? What I've been able to do is what Purah and Robbie call 'download' the map and controls of the beast, and so from here, we can tweak and coordinate the beast to better fit your piloting style."

"Princess," Daruk looked uncertain, "Everything you just said went over my head like a cucco gone berserk. One more time, please."

"Just try to move around and get a feel for the beast. Try to control it like you normally would."

At that, Daruk shoved a fist forward, and with it, Vah Rudania thrust itself forward, sending the two tiny Hylians toppling over onto the floor of the beast. Daruk scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously as both Hylians stood back on their feet, Link rubbing his backside.

"Maybe…" the Princess searched for the right words, "Maybe we should start with some more gentle movements."

In turn, both Daruk and Link left the Princess in that chamber in the beast: Daruk, wanting to explore his control on the beast without causing too much damage, and Link, simply to get a moment away from the Princess.

Daruk turned to Link, as he turned the beast around, Vah Rudania's movements short like an abrupt staccato, "Little guy," Daruk confided, "is it true that I am the only one of the champions that is having trouble controlling their Divine Beast?"

Why did he expect Link to know this? The Princess did not tell him anything, and his information was limited, all based on what he had heard. He knew was that the Royal Trout had no issues whatsoever and that the Hallow-Boned Hawk at least _boasted_ that he did well. He had not heard even a word about the Die-Hard Feminist.

He turned towards the Glorified Rock, shrugging his shoulders, "I haven't heard anything of the sort. I wouldn't worry about it too much."

"Yeah, I guess," Daruk sighed, "It's just that I've always been better at things I could do with my hands, like swinging stuff around. This 'Divine Beast' stuff and the whole 'move it with your mind' concept is just a lot for me."

Link mused, looking out into the interior of the Divine Beast. Rudania was absolutely massive, and with how recently the Champions were inducted, he wouldn't have been surprised if Daruk had not explored every inch of the place.

What's more, the beast itself seemed _alive_ in its own right, the beast humming with energy, its walls practically moving as though it were breathing.

Perhaps he was struggling to move it because he did not truly understand its size and mechanics. He recalled, briefly, of Master Kohga being able to manipulate objects and his surroundings with his mind and will. While the Sheikah and the Yiga were now two separate factions, they did share the same history. Perhaps it was that the pilot of this beast would have to manipulate the beast with the same philosophy that Master Kohga practiced.

With as large of a shove as Link could muster, he pushed Daruk forward, into the belly of the beast, "You are never going to be able to control it unless you explore it and truly understand the beast as a companion," Link was really just making it up as he went, "Go 'connect' with the beast, and see if that helps."

Link trekked out of the beast and onto the very top exterior of it. With the Princess making her 'adjustments' or whatever it was that she was doing, and Daruk stomping around in the Vah Rudania trying to become one with the beast, really, the best place for him was being scorched alive outside by the blistering sun.

At first, the movements of the beast were incredibly jerky, and more than once was Link nearly thrown off of the beast and to his death as the beast twitched and shuddered. He had half a mind to go just inside: for the shade and for the safety, however, it wasn't long before the movements of the beast evened out, and soon, Link could feel the wind soaring around him in a languid movement, the beast responding elegantly to Daruk's movements.

Daruk came out not too long after, swinging his arms around, as Divine Beast Vah Rudania's lizard-like legs climbed the terrain effortlessly.

"Yeah, little guy! I think I'm finally getting the hang of controlling this Divine Beast!"

At this, Daruk lifted both of his massive arms up into the air, and Vah Rudania roared in agreement, a massive thing, shaking the foundations of Death Mountain and the core of Link's being. He wouldn't have been surprised if the people of Faron could hear the beast roar.

"I tell you what," Daruk continued, stretching out his limbs, "It sure is a blast piloting a toy like this around." He turned towards Link, "Let those other Champions know, they better eat their gravel if they wanna keep up with Daruk!"

Link chuckled, "I'm glad exploring the interior of the beast helped you. I was just kind of making it up as I went."

"But, hey, it worked, didn't it?" Daruk laughed, looking out over the mountains, "And speaking of gravel, can you believe this view? Just look at all those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains… Mighty tasty!"

"Aye… sure," Link tried, unsure exactly how to respond. The Goron knew that Hylian's didn't eat rock, right?

"Now, little guy," Daruk continued, "You had one of those delectable prime rock roasts back in the city haven't you? Last night?" Apparently, he didn't. He kissed each one of his massive fingertips, "It is some of the finest rock roast that I have ever had the privilege of tasting. What did you think of it?"

Link knew not what to say.

"You were speechless!" Daruk laughed, holding his belly, "That good, huh? Well then, as a thank you for helping me with this Divine Beast, I'll send some back with you! Once we get back to the city, it's on me: my treat!" He sighed, looking up towards the peak of the mountain, "I may not know a whole lot about this Calamity Ganon thing… but mark my words, I'll protect this land of ours to the death! Right, little guy?!"

A massive hand clapped him on the back, and again, Link stumbled forward, clutching at his back, trying to catch his breath. He was certain that this time, there was going to be a Goron shaped hand bruise along his back.

That rock was really going to have to stop doing that.

Daruk laughed, reaching out that same hand to help Link back up. He accepted it, pulling himself up straight, "Hey, by the way," Daruk said offhandedly, "Congrats on becoming the Princess's appointed knight. That's a really big deal! Protecting the King's daughter…" He laughed, clapping him on the back again, albeit gently this time.

Link still flinched.

"Seriously though," Daruk continued, "The Princess is a strong personality – so strong, she can't quite see the range for the peaks. Remember that, and you'll be fine."

Link didn't exactly need appointed knight advice from the Glorified Rock, but he nodded anyways, keeping his face impassive.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them began shaking violently, and Link very nearly was knocked from his two feet.

"What the-"

The rumbling intensified, before a loud crash sounded from overhead. It was a landslide from the peak of the mountain they were under, and the boulders, specifically the largest of the bunch, were coming straight their way.

Link froze, and suddenly all of his training from the Yiga Clan had gone down the drain. He did not know what to do. Did he run? Hide? Cower in fear and wait for the boulder to obliterate him?

He did none of those things.

The boulder was flying down at an alarming pace, but neither was Daruk moving from his spot. Instead, he braced himself, placing his two massive fists out in front of himself, and with a cry, managed to deflect and annihilate the boulder with a sort of shield he was able to manifest around himself.

Link ducked, finally reacting to the situation at hand, and covered his face. Debris from the boulder flew in every direction, pieces of it flying like projectiles, and Link was lucky that none of them hit him directly.

Truly, the incident lasted for all of five seconds, yet to Link, it had felt like a century had passed.

Link looked up, the dust settling. The top of the beast was now covered in bits of rock, ranging in size from pebbles to shards of boulder. He looked towards Daruk, whose eyes were set on the top of Death Mountain, watching the lava fall.

"That was a little strange…" Daruk murmured, rubbing his chin, "As far as I know, Death Mountain has been quiet for decades. But if the mountain is shivering enough to send down a bunch of boulders that size then…"

"What are you thinking?" Link prompted.

"Never mind, forget I said anything," Daruk said instead, looking away, "Now, what was I saying?"

He was giving him advice about guarding the Princess.

The Princess.

Shit.

Link leapt into action, heading deep into the belly of the beast, with Daruk hot on his heels. He followed his path from before, and retraced his footsteps until he made it back to the room the Princess had been when he had left her.

Remind him that leaving the Princess alone equates to bad things happening.

The Princess was sprawled on her side near the Guidance Stone, with a gash on her forehead, a bump beginning to swell. Link knelt down next to her, and naturally, she _pushed him away,_ defiant even when hurt.

She was going to be the death of him long before he was the death of her, it seemed.

"Princess, are you okay?" Daruk voiced from behind him, as Link tried to grasp the Princess's chin to check her pupils. They were blown out and unnatural.

"Never mind about me," the Princess managed, pushing free of Link's grasp once again, "Vah Rudania, is he hurt?"

"He's fine, Princess, don't worry," Daruk answered, "We're more worried about you: are you okay?"

"I'm fine, it's just whatever hit the beast made me lose my balance, and I fell and hit my head," the Princess muttered, "But if Rudania is unable to perform, how will we ever –"

"Are you really more concerned with the state of a mechanical object than you are with your own well-being, Princess?" Link all but spat, taking out his handkerchief and dabbing at the Princess's forehead. She reeled away as if he had burned her.

Oh, enough with this, already.

In one swift swoop, Link scooped the Princess up in his arms and began to carry her out of the beast the way they came, "Daruk, we need to land this thing, I need to take the Princess back to the castle immediately."

"Can do, little guy."

"Put me down this instant," the Princess screeched, kicking her legs and getting in a good punch on his chest, "We are not done making adjustments to the beast."

"Oh no, we are quite finished, Princess," Link hissed, "My job right now is to get you back to safety, and the safest place for you is Hyrule Castle."

"I demand that you put me down this instant! That's an order!"

"As your appointed knight, _Princess,"_ Link asserted, pulling rank, "I'm afraid I cannot do that. I am under direct orders from the King to keep you safe at all times, and should any harm come to you, the best healers in all the land are at Hyrule Castle."

"The best healers in all the land are in Zora's Domain."

"Either way," Link said, "You're outranked."

It wasn't long before Vah Rudania made its way to ground level, and they made their way out of the city in record time. Daruk offered to carry the Princess, despite her protests that she had only hit her head, and "can very well still walk, thank you". The Princess, unsurprisingly did prefer Daruk rather than Link carrying her, and after a while, just decided that she would completely shut up.

This suited Link just fine.

Daruk travelled with them all the way down the mountain to the Foothill Stables, where they had left their horses. However, instead of checking out both horses, Link only checked out Epona, all while sliding a silver rupee across the counter to the stable master, with the promise that a servant would be by for Storm within the next day. The Princess protested greatly at this, but Link shut her up with a forceful look in his eye, noting that she had a concussion, and she was in no state to ride by herself.

He lifted her onto Epona, and then slid on behind her, and with little to no preamble, they were off, galloping fiercely back towards Hyrule Castle.

"Why did you take Epona out, but not Storm? Is my horse not good enough for you, _Hero_?"

"Storm can sprint, I'll give her that, but she would not be able to make the journey in one spurt before she got too tired. Epona can make the trip without stopping."

They made it back to Hyrule Castle by dusk, and Link rode Epona straight in through the great gates with the Princess. Immediately, he scooped up the Princess, who had deteriorated very quickly in the last few legs of the trip, and was struggling to keep her eyes open.

Link barked out a few orders, the servants scrambling around him, and before he knew it, the Princess had been lifted out of his arms and into Hyrule Castle. He turned towards the nearest servant and shoved Epona's reins into her hands, ordering her to take Epona back to the ranch, and then to make the trip out to the Foothill Stables for Storm.

He walked inside, noting that he was on the side closest to the Guard's Chambers. He would need to fill out a report of the day's events, to be delivered to both the Commander and the King.

He had been damn lucky Commander Impa hadn't been there to witness him carrying in the Princess; her arms and head limp like a ragdoll.

He turned the corner in the deserted hallway, his long strides echoing in the corridor.

Then, a whisper in his ear:

"Lieutenant."

Link reeled on the man, pushing him back into the shadows of the castle. He thrust his elbow up into the man's neck, pinning him to the wall.

It was the servant from the ball. The Yiga Clansman. His brother.

His grip only strengthened.

"What in the world do you think you are doing?" Link hissed, his breath hot on the servant's ear, "You are going to blow my cover if you keep doing shit like that."

"I have a message," the servant whispered, his voice breaking as his chin was being pushed upwards, "From Master Kohga."

At this, Link's grip on the man loosened, but only fractionally, "Go on."

"He needs an update from you on your progress," the servant whispered, "Rumors travel fast about how the Princess does not like her appointed knight."

"The rumors are true, but it's not only that," Link affirmed, "The Sheikah are onto me. The Commander is out for my blood. She only needs to smallest bit of proof to send me to the executioner's block, and quite frankly, if she see's this right now, it _won't help._ "

"What do you need from your clan?" The servant whispered, "What shall you have us do?"

"I need reasonable doubt," Link disclosed, "I need undeniable proof to the Royal Family that I am not of the Yiga and that I ally with them."

"We can do that," the servant mused, his voice barely a whisper, "The Master has one other thing."

"What is it?" Link breathed.

"Our Demon King draws near," the servant hissed, "Sooner than we had anticipated. You have less time: less time to gain the trust of the Sheikah and that of the Princess. The Demon King arrives this spring, on the day following the Princess's seventeenth birthday. The Royal Sacrifice must be performed the night before, in the light of the blood moon."

Link recalled his Master saying that they anticipated their Demon King’s return for that next summer. Now, it was moved up to the spring. Link had less time – much less time – than he had previously thought. He only had a couple more months before that final blood moon.

On the Princess's seventeenth birthday, no less.

"I will not fail," Link whispered, his voice scarcely traveling.

"It is not an option," the servant agreed, before disappearing in a cloud of orange smoke. Link fell forward into the space the clansman had just occupied.

He rested his forehead against the cold stone, breathing in the musty castle air.

Spring was only a couple months away. Link had thought that he had until the end of the summer to set his plan in motion. Time was moving, faster than he was ready for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahaha! I'm actually quite proud of myself for not hurting one of my main characters until six chapters in! But ah – it had to be done. It's what's expected of me, at this point. Zelda's fine though – she's got quite a few more memories she stars in.
> 
> Everyone please buckle up for the next three, really four, chapters! They are my FAVORITE, and are the inspiration behind this story, and I am really so excited and pleased with how they turned out!
> 
> I am currently editing Chapter 10 right now, and without giving too much away, I am writing 'A Premonition' and 'Silent Princess'. In earlier A/N's, I discussed how I had planned on switching those two scenes. It was something I had seen done by a few authors, and I liked their reasoning and it simply made sense to me. HOWEVER, that being said, I have written the chapter twice now, and have a copy with the Silent Princess happening first and a copy with A Premonition happening first. They are literally titled Chapter 10-A and Chapter 10-B. I am leaning towards the way Nintendo had intended it, simply because that's how they intended it to be ordered! And, it gives way to add a bit of juicy subplot that would not lend itself if I switched the scenes. So moral of this paragraph, I am nO LONGER switching the scenes. Thank u for coming to my Ted Talk.
> 
> On an unrelated note: Royal Trout, Hallow-Boned Hawk, Die-Hard Feminist, Glorified Rock – I have cackled about these for MONTHS (this chapter has been written since NOVEMBER!)
> 
> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! I have had way too much fun writing this story!


	7. Chapter 7

A week had passed since the incident on board Vah Rudania. Link, asleep in his quarters, was awoken by the sound of pounding on his door.

Not a second after he had unlocked his door was the door slammed open, and in one swift movement, he was pinned up against the cold stonewalls of his quarters, his arm twisted behind him as his head was shoved into the wall.

Ah yes, it was the Commander, it seemed. Good morning.

"What did you do to her?" The Commander's voice growled in his ear, and instantly, all traces of sleep bled out of him entirely.

"What are you talking about?" Link hissed right back, struggling against the Commander's grip. Her grip only tightened.

"What do you think I am talking about? The Princess!"

"What about the Princess? I'm not on duty!"

"The Princess is missing, and you not being on duty certainly does not help your cause."

Link, in a surge of strength, pushed off the Commander and turned to face her. The Commander, in turn, did not move to try and restrain him again, yet she did deliberately place herself between the Captain of the Royal Guard and his doorway out.

Link sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "In case you hadn't noticed, before you barged in, I had been fast asleep. Did you check with the guard that was stationed outside her door?"

"He was the one who had informed me that she had disappeared."

"Did you check the library?"

"Of course I did; I'm not daft."

"The dining hall, the gardens, the chapel – did you check all those places?"

"Aye, and she is not in any of those spots."

Link pushed passed the Commander then, having already shrugged on his tunic, his boots, and a pair of trousers, the Master Sword strapped to his back.

"Where are you going?" Commander Impa asked, her head swiveling around to face him.

"First her quarters, then the ranch," Link said, nearly running as he made his way down the hall, "I'm going to see if she left a clue as to where she went. Then, I'm going to see if the stable master prepared Storm for the Princess. If they didn't, and her horse is still there, then she couldn't have gone far."

"Wait a minute," Commander Impa caught up to Link, jogging beside him, "You mean to tell me that you think the Princess just left of her own accord? That she would decide to leave without telling anyone?"

"Correct."

"The Princess has not yet been cleared by the court physician to go out on field expeditions. That does not sound like something the Princess would do."

"Actually, Commander, it sounds _exactly_ like something the Princess would do," Link bristled, turning the corner, "Does the King know that she's disappeared?"

"Not yet, as I was just made privy to this information. I intend to inform him immediately and to do a full search of the servant's and Royal Guard's quarters, _including_ yours."

"As you should; I have nothing to hide."

And indeed, he did not. Link had left the Yiga Clan hideout in the Karusa Valley with nothing but simple Hylian clothing on his back. He was careful not to bring anything with him that could trace him back to the Yiga: no masks, nothing red, and not even a lone banana to eat along the road.

They made their way to the Princess's quarters, where the guard that had been outside her door was still stationed there uselessly, as though he was still guarding her. The two of them pushed the useless guard to the side and barged in, Link leading as they made their way to the spiral staircase that led to the Princess's study.

Her quarters were completely empty, her bed completely made, and her nightgown still hung next to her changing screen. It was clear that she had left in the night, before having gone asleep, which by the early rays of dawn, meant that she had at least a few hours head start on them. According to the guard, she had retired early the night before, just after supper, which didn't help their cause.

The two of them sprinted up the spiral staircase, and across the bridge leading to her study. The doors to her study were left ajar, which could have been disastrous had there been weather in the night. Link stepped inside and reeled slightly, being taken aback by the sheer amount of experiments and books she had lying haphazardly around the small tower.

He looked to her desk, which was blocked slightly by various scrolls and various texts. One in particular was an Ancient Sheikah text, opened to a page written in small print. Beside it was another tome written in old Hylian, and it looked as though the Princess had been cross-referencing the two texts. The Commander looked over his shoulder, her eyes calculating on the Ancient Sheikah text.

"This looks to be a text on those shrines my sister has been studying," Commander Impa murmured, turning one of the old, dusty pages delicately, "It keeps repeating the phrase 'Tena Ko'sah', but I haven't the faintest idea what that means."

Link looked over to the tome written in old Hylian, and though much of the text was beyond his level of comprehension, Link was able to decipher that it was a text on ancient Hylian cultural relics. The Princess had underlined some key phrases here and there, though they meant nothing to Link, until he came across another familiar phrase.

"Commander," Link breathed, pointing towards the Hylian text, "This text also mentions 'Tena Ko'sah'. It's underlined. What does this mean?"

The Commander knew not how to reply, though Link realized in the next second she did not need to. He looked up to where a map of Hyrule lay, just beyond the two tomes. The map was notated in fine Hylian handwritten script, no doubt the Princess's. Things such as the three springs were notated, as well as the major settlements, the major mountains, and each region. Additionally, there were things circled and crossed out; most notably, the region of the castle being circled with the word 'columns?' scrawled beside it. In the margins of the map, was the phrase 'towers for each region?', and near the Great Plateau was the phrase 'Shrine of Resurrection' listed near the Temple of Time. Link's gaze travelled farther west until he spotted 'Tena Ko'sah' written in the Tabantha region, near where the Ancient Columns were, a pin marking its place.

A memory flashed through his mind's eye of the Princess on the Tabantha Great Bridge, wistfully looking and taking a picture of the Ancient Columns at the peak of the Rayne Highlands.

Link knew where the Princess was.

"Tell the King I'll have her back by high noon," and with that, he took off running, back down into the Princess's quarters and outside, down the side staircase leading towards the gardens. He could hear the Commander yelling after him, more of a question on her voice than anything. It was a short run to the great gates leading into Castle Town, and then again to the ranch on the Hyrule Fields.

As it was, at this time of morning, the citizens of Castle Town were only just beginning their day, and most had not left their homes. The streets were deserted for the most part, with the occasional beggar being startled awake at the Hylian Champion sprinting across the cobblestone streets.

By the time he made it to the ranch, the sun had just peaked over Shatterback Point. He ran into the stables and sure enough, Storm was gone, and sure enough, the Stable Master had simply leant it out to the Princess of Hyrule without an escort, and without any questions.

Sure, she's the Princess, and Link was certain the Stable Master didn't want to tell her no, but all he wanted to do was strangle the senseless man and send him careening through his front window. Really, to allow the sole Princess of Hyrule out into the wilds of Hyrule with no guard or escort was reckless; it was irresponsible.

It was making both of Link's jobs as her appointed knight and as her assassin impossible.

Link mounted Epona hastily and sent her off in a furious gallop towards the west, where the twilight of nighttime had been all but washed away in the rays of the sun. He made his way past the Sacred Grounds and towards Carok Village and the Carok Bridge, which was now back in commission.

He recalled faintly that a notice was sent to the Royal Guard the day before that the Carok Bridge had been repaired from the collapse of the Breach of Demise. If he hadn't been convinced of her whereabouts before, he was now. Of course the Princess would make a run for it the second that bridge was repaired. The detour to the south would have added a day's worth of travel to her journey; even she knew that she wouldn't be able to fend for herself for more than a day out in the wilds.

Following the bridge, Link thought briefly to check the Royal Ancient Lab to see if the two Sheikah researchers knew of her whereabouts. Perhaps she had stopped there to share her discoveries that she had made up in her tower. Link thought against it, however, and continued his way towards the Tabantha Frontier. Had she stopped there, it would have been hours ago, and she would have been long gone to her final destination by that point. Should, for some reason, he not find her in the Rayne Highlands, he would stop there on the way back to the castle.

He spurred Epona onwards, past the West Hyrule Plains and the Seres Scablands, and it wasn't long after that before he made it to the Tabantha Great Bridge. Link did not slow Epona's gallop, but he squinted upwards, trying to see if he could catch a glimpse of blonde hair or of a blue tunic. From his vantage point, however, he could not, seeing as he was low to the ground.

Between the Piper Ridge and the Nero Hill was an unmarked path that would have been easy to miss had Link not been looking for it. The path was precarious, wrapped along the edge of a canyon that separated Hyrule from the rest of the world. One wrong step, one loose rock would mean certain death to any princess with a temperamental horse.

Link could only think of one princess who fit the bill.

Link dug his heels into Epona's flanks, galloping up the final turns of the Rayne Highlands to its peak. There, the Ancient Columns began to appear around him, and sure enough, near a column up ahead was Storm, grazing amongst the grass. The Princess was not much further, near another one of those odd monuments, which Link presumed was the shrine she had discovered in her texts.

There was a certain amount of satisfaction at being correct at figuring out the Princess's whereabouts, Link had to admit. Epona whinnied as they approached Storm and Link jumped off of her back, jogging up towards the Princess. The Princess, having heard his approach, had huffed, turning around with a livid look in her eyes.

"How did you find me?" The Princess demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"You had left your texts open on your desk in your study," Link replied, matter-of-fact, "and had marked this location on your map."

"Oh, so now you're snooping through my things?" The Princess snapped, "I thought I made it clear that I am not in need of an escort."

"Leaving the castle in the dead of night, without telling a soul, is certainly not 'perfectly clear'," Link retorted, "The castle is in high alert now; your father is worried sick. The Commander believed you to have been abducted by the Yiga Clan."

"Yes, well, as you can see I am perfectly safe," The Princess bristled, turning her nose up, "It seems I am the only one with a mind of my own. I, the person in question, am fine, regardless of the King's orders."

"The King's orders," Link reiterated, "are to keep you safe at all times. Furthermore, the court physician had not cleared you yet to leave the castle."

"Like a bird trapped in her cage," the Princess muttered to herself, "Must I repeat myself? I am fine; I don't need some old man to tell me when I am well enough to travel," the Princess stomped past him then, making her way towards Storm, "Return to the castle, and tell that to my father, please."

"Gladly; we can tell him together," Link agreed, following behind her to their horses.

The Princess froze mid-step, her hands fisting at her sides, "Yes, and that," the Princess whirled on him, a furious look in her eyes, "You would do well to stop following me!"

Link sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "You know I can't do that."

"You can, and you will," the Princess retorted, jumping onto Storm's back, "You have freewill, do you not? Exercise it."

In a flash, Link had Storm's reins gripped in his hands. He was already atop Epona himself, and gave the Princess a severe look, "Either you come back with me to the castle of your own _freewill_ this instant _,_ or you're coming with me on Epona and we are leaving Storm behind: monsters be damned."

"You wouldn't dare," the Princess whispered, pulling her reins slightly from Link.

"Try me," Link challenged, yanking the reins clear out of her grasp. The Princess inhaled, her bottom lip trembling slightly, before she nodded almost indistinctly. Link shoved the reins back into her grip and gave Storm a small smack on its backside, sending the horse in a light trot down the hillside.

The trip was silent, much to Link's delight, back to Hyrule Castle. The sun was rising, much further past the center of the sky. He was going to be arriving later with the Princess than he had said he would. At the crossroads of the Breach of Demise, the Princess looked longingly over towards the Royal Ancient Lab, the question on her tongue, but Link merely grabbed her reins and pulled her and Storm to the right, across the Carok and away from the lab.

As they were about to pass the gates to Castle Town to take their horses back to the ranch, two soldiers met them. They informed Link that they were under direct orders from the Commander to lodge their horses for them. They were to go straight to the castle, no stops within the town, which suited Link just fine.

Commander Impa was waiting for the two of them as they walked through the gates leading into the castle. By her side were two members of the Royal Guard, their postures stiff and faces impassive.

"You're late," Commander Impa directed towards Link dryly, "It is after high noon."

Link merely shrugged, "I found her and brought her back, didn't I?"

"There have been some developments," the Commander said, lowly, "Princess, the King would like to see you immediately in the Sanctum, however, he has instructed that you are not to be left alone within the castle, or anywhere else, at this time. These two members of the guard have been cleared of any suspicion, and they will keep you safe."

"Impa," the Princess questioned, her tone breathy, "What's going on?"

"You'll find out in due time; however, it is not my place to tell," the Commander sighed, and for the first time Link had ever seen it, her features softened, "Go on – your father is waiting."

The Princess merely nodded, and walked up the hillside towards the Sanctum, the two members of the Royal Guard walking pristinely behind her.

"You," the Commander turned towards him then, an unreadable look in her eye, "Come with me."

Link followed the Commander into the castle, and was surprised when the Commander began leading him down a series of stairs, towards where the lockup was.

"Commander," Link questioned, "What's going on?"

"There is a traitor amongst us," Commander Impa muttered, turning the corner, the walls turning colder and greyer, "While you were gone, searching for the Princess, I overturned every bunk, searched every corner. Though we could have presumed that there was not any Yiga activity, since the Princess had left of her own accord, I had a gut feeling; and I'm hardly ever wrong."

A cold feeling settled in the pit of Link's stomach, though he fought not to let it show. Was she leading him down to the lockup to arrest him? Was there an ambush down there, waiting for him? Was that why she was so quick to separate both him and the Princess? Had he left something in his quarters that would have been damnable evidence? A red cloth? A mask? A banana peel?

Link straightened his spine and readied himself to grab the Master Sword as the Commander rounded the corner in front of him. Should there be an ambush, he would be ready. He had gone up against the top admirals of the Yiga Clan; what were a few measly members of the Royal Guard and one worthless Sheikah?

But as Link turned the corner, he was not met with an ambush. He was not met with the steel of the Commander's Eightfold Longblade. No, what he was met with was a far cry from what he had been expecting.

Inside one of the high security cells was a man, beaten and battered, shackled to the cold stonewalls of the lockup. His left leg was twisted at an unnatural angle underneath him, and his eyes were nearly swollen shut, his upper lip bleeding from a nasty gash. His clothing was tattered, and did not signify him as part of the Royal Guard, or even of the army. No, this man wore peasant clothes, not uncommon of the servants that roamed and worked in the castle.

The man turned his head slightly towards the two of them, and though his eyes could barely open, they locked with Link's, and Link instantly recognized him.

It was the servant from the ball. The man who nearly blew his cover a week ago. The Yiga Clansman. His brother.

He had been found out.

Shit.

"We found _this_ in the servant's bunk, at the bottom of his chest," the Commander held out a Yiga mask in her left hand, her nails practically puncturing the material. Link fought to keep his face neutral as he stared at the familiar disguise, "Though we haven't gotten much from him yet, while we were interrogating him, we managed to find out that he has another brother that has infiltrated the castle, although we are not sure in what capacity."

"Have we checked all of the servant's quarters?" Link managed, staring back into the eyes of the Yiga Clansman. In his defense, the man gave no indication that he had ever seen him.

"Yes, and unfortunately, we haven't found anything as of yet," the Commander turned to him, "However, we begin questioning at dawn, checking out every servant's, every guard's, every person who resides here in the castle's alibi's. We will find out who this second 'brother' is."

"Let me know how I can assist," Link muttered, casting his eyes briefly towards the Yiga.

"Of course," the Commander nearly smiled. Blazing fiery eyes locked with ice cold ones as she whispered with a malicious glint in her eye, "Although, I doubt we will have to question the people of the castle for long: I'm positive that this traitor will break soon, and we will have proof as to who this second brother is."

The look the Commander was giving him was not lost on Link. She believed she had him cornered, with his only way out to be to run to the Gerudo Highlands and abandon his mission altogether. She seemed quite confident in herself, the way spoke so candidly to her Captain of the Royal Guard.

Though… that was the politics of it, wasn't it? It was a game of cat and mouse, and it was clear which one she viewed herself as. With the King on his side, she knew that she needed undeniable proof of his intentions.

And she felt so confident in herself that she had this proof, that she would rub it all in his face.

One look at the battered man's confirmed the Commander's statement: it would not be long before his cover was blown and the servant would bend and spill. Though the man was Yiga, he was only a Foot Soldier, and would not be able to endure the inhumane torture of the Sheikah's interrogation techniques for long. The Commander thought him cornered, and yet Link always had a backup plan.

Action would have to be taken to ensure his silence.

There was no moon that night over Hyrule Castle. No light: just shadows and darkness. In the shadows of the night, Link was undetectable. It was a practiced art, one that required patience and stealth. Though much of the castle was asleep, it was still on high alert. This, however, proved not to be a challenge to the Lieutenant.

He slipped silently through the halls, keeping to the shadows and staying out of sight. The lockup would be guarded, he presumed, seeing as the clansman was considered to be a high security prisoner, however, it proved to be of little consequence to Link: a guard could not alert the castle if they were _dead._

However, sadly for Link, he did not have to resort to such drastic measures. It seemed that the lockup was much less guarded than he would have initially thought. For shame, too: it had been a while since he had spilled blood for sport. He was getting antsy.

However, there was still the issue of the jailor, who sat at his table, on his third bottle of mead, with the keys to the cells spinning lazily through his fingers. It would not be easy to get the keys from him, and though Link could just go and slit his throat just as easily, he had another plan for him up his sleeve.

In Hyrule, a common household tea was brewed with mixture of Armoranth and Warm Safflina. On its own, Armoranth was impenetrable. However, when it was boiled in water, the fibers would be relaxed enough to be crushed up with a mortar and pestle. Together, the two ingredients created a relaxing brew, allowing the drinker to unwind and ease anxieties. It was cheap enough that the working class could procure it, and effective enough that the noble class utilized it as well.

However, when Armoranth was ingested with an alcoholic beverage, it would be enough to knock out a hefty Hylian man; ingested with _multiple_ alcoholic drinks in a short time span would render that man comatose, and in some cases, would result in death.

With the amount of Armoranth the Lieutenant had crushed up, it was clear that he was going for the latter.

As the jailer fell to the floor with a dull thud, Link slipped out from the shadows, reaching for the keys that were still in the jailer's twitching hand. He turned the corner and made eye contact with his Yiga brother, who had been startled awake by the sound of the jailer falling unconscious.

Link made quick work of the lock, the jail cell swinging open with a shrill screech.

"Lieutenant," the servant rasped, shaking as Link began to walk towards him slowly, "Are you here to get me out?"

"Not quite," Link whispered, taking another step towards him, "How far do you think you would get before the Hyrulean Royal Army found you? What would you try to say to your clan, having failed in your mission? You're far too injured to teleport back, and, to be completely honest: I can't have you blowing my cover."

"I would never rat you out," the servant beseeched, "Your mission is far too important."

"Yet it doesn't seem that you realize that," Link hissed, "Telling the Commander that there was another brother within the castle? Sloppy move, if I say so myself, and quite frankly, treacherous as well."

"I never intended to betray you," the servant shuddered, tears beginning to fall down his dirty face, "Please, you have to believe me! I had to say something! It was that Sheikah commander; she threatened to cut off my -"

"Intentions," Link interrupted, "are meaningless. It's the actions that speak louder than words."

"I'm sorry," the servant stammered, "It was an accident, and it won't happen again."

"That it won't," Link agreed, reaching down towards his boot, "Failure is not an option in the Yiga Clan, and traitors will not be tolerated."

"What are you doing?" the servant whispered, his voice wavering as Link pulled out a small knife from his boot, twirling it in his fingers.

Link paused, pondering with the knife, before he breathed, "Tying up loose ends," before he slammed the knife down, slitting the servant's throat.

Any scream that the servant had attempted was cut off, bubbling up in the blood that gushed from his throat. Link did well to avoid getting blood anywhere but his hands, and ripped the knife from the former Yiga's throat, wiping the blood off on the man's shirt and tucking the knife back into his boot.

The man's eyes glassed over, and he was dead. It was time for Link to get out of here.

Link kept to the shadows still, not letting down his guard until he was within his quarters. He stopped briefly in the servant's quarters to wash the blood from his hands and fingernails in a water basin, and to deposit the knife in a random chest. The room slept soundly, not a soul awake in the dead of night.

Upon closing the door of his own quarters shut behind him, he finally breathed, and smiled to himself for a job well done. He placed his boots against the wall, and shoved the trousers and shirt he had been wearing towards the back of his chest of drawers, opting for caution instead of recklessness. He turned in for the night, letting his head relax against his pillow, closing his eyes.

Link slept soundly that night, dreaming of crimson skies and Armoranth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who here hates Link so far? Who here loves him? Personally, I can't help but root for him, even though he is such an ass in this story. But especially as I was writing the dialogue in this chapter, I had to take a step back and breathe, because some of the mannerisms I was giving Link were so appalling. But it's great, because he can get away with it cause he's got to save the world and all that jazz.
> 
> This is my favorite chapter that I have written so far. I thought about this chapter for a while before I actually wrote it, and it turned out better than I could have imagined!
> 
> I'm excited to share the next chapter with you all next week! Let me know your thoughts! Stay tuned!


	8. Chapter 8

As Link and the Princess passed through the Gerudo Desert Gateway, Link sighed, a small smile gracing his lips.

It was good to be home.

It had not taken long for the bodies of the Yiga Clansman and the Jailer to be discovered in the early hours of the morning. Though Hyrule Castle was on high alert, the Royal Guard did well to keep the incident confidential. It was clear to the Crown that the Princess's life was in danger, and it was not long at all for Link to be summoned directly to the King. Looking back on the incident, it was a wonder how his path did not cross with that of the Commander's.

Should the Commander have found him first in light of the traitor's body being found, he would have been hard pressed to get himself out of the castle.

The King had summoned him to his private study, adjacent to the library. It was hidden away, tucked behind a bookshelf on door hinges, and as it opened, it groaned, the sound of the hinges echoing throughout the massive library. It was imperative to the King that discretion and caution be used, and that no one in the castle overheard their conversation. Every other part of the castle was too populated, and the Sanctum was too obvious. They were not sure where that second Yiga brother was hiding, and he had to make sure his next order did not fall on his ears.

If only the King realized that the second Yiga brother was hiding in plain sight.

It was a small, quaint study, Link had noted, as the King shut the bookcase behind them, the sounds of the castle muting immediately. There was an exquisite desk tucked against the wall, with various texts and papers strewn about. Link noted that with this study not exactly being of public knowledge, he was staring at, no doubt, confidential documents that could house secrets to the Hyrulean Royal Army, or even that of the ancient Sheikah technology and the Divine Beasts. Should the Yiga Clan get their hands on these documents, it would change the course of history forever.

Link made a mental note to sneak back to the study whenever he got the chance.

The King motioned for him to have a seat in the small chair tucked away in the corner of the room. The King sat in his chair at his desk, turning the chair slightly to face him, while cradling his head in his hand.

The silence stretched between the two, as the King formulated what words to use, though Link knew already what he would disclose. He was, however, the perfect actor, and kept his face blank, neutral, awaiting the reasoning behind his King's summons with patience and gratitude.

The King sighed, lowering his hand and licking his lips, meeting Link's with weary eyes, "I am afraid that the safety of Hyrule Castle has been compromised. I can no longer rest easy knowing that my daughter is safe within its walls."

"I don't understand," Link lied easily, his eyes flickering cautiously to meet his King's.

"Last night, there was a break in to the Lockup, and the Yiga Clansman that had infiltrated the castle had been murdered in the night," the King declared, rubbing his face with his hand, "Commander Impa had been able to discern that there was a second member of the clan within the castle, and now we have reason to believe that clansman killed his brother in order to ensure his silence. He is still undiscovered within the castle, at large, and I fear for my daughter's safety."

"What should you have me do?" Link implored, "I can create a rotation of my most trusted of the Royal Guard to keep watch over her. I can personally see to her safety, keeping watch over her twenty-four hours a day."

"That won't be necessary," the King waved off, a slight glint in his eye, "You are but one man, and yet, the only man that I trust with my daughter's life. Therefore, effective immediately, I want for you to take my daughter to the west, to the safety of the Gerudo Desert. There, I have already arranged lodgings for her within Gerudo Town, with the Chief of the Gerudo, Champion Urbosa. The second you two leave the castle grounds, Hyrule Castle will be on lockdown. No one will go in or out of the castle until we find this traitor. I will send a missive for you once it is safe to return."

"It shall be done," Link breathed, bowing his head.

From there, Link had been dismissed, and in the early hours of the morning, he went up the Princess's quarters and fetched her, leading her down deep into the castle to the docks, where a small boat was waiting for them. At first, the Princess protested, upset at being woken before the sun had risen over the horizon, but at the stark look Link threw back towards her, her protests diminished. He ensured her that he would explain once they were away from the castle, but due to the severity of the situation, they had to keep moving.

He maneuvered the boat, propelling it towards the east side of the moat, their destination being the Hyrule Forest Park. From there, it was only a quick journey to the ranch, where a stable hand had already been tipped to prepare both of their horses. From there, they rode hard, galloping towards the west, to the land of the Gerudo, and unbeknownst to the King, of the Yiga Clan.

Aye, it was good to be home.

The two horses were stabled in the Gerudo Canyon Stable, as the alternating climates of the Gerudo Valley were unsuitable for Hylian horses. The days were sweltering and the nights were frigid. The only times of day habitable for the horses were for about an hour at dawn and an hour at dusk. Anything else proved to be far too hostile to the animals, and so it was on foot from there they went.

A missive had been left for the Princess at the stable, sealed with the Gerudo Chief's symbol. Its contents explained that the Gerudo Champion would meet the two of them at the Kara Kara Bazaar, to provide passage for the Princess into Gerudo Town. As it was, they left the next morning at dawn, the weather being comfortable, but only for a short time, yet. Link, similar to his preparations into the Eldin region, had prepared some chilly elixirs for the journey.

As they ventured into the desert, the Princess looked off to the southwest and gasped, pointing towards the horizon. There, in the far off distant, was a massive animal, moving slowly throughout the desert.

"There," the Princess breathed, "That's Vah Naboris. Ancient Sheikah texts refer to her as being based off a long extinct animal called a 'camel'. She's absolutely fascinating."

Link nodded once, unsure of how to respond. Truth be told, he was taken a bit aback by how social the Princess was being with him, given her attitude towards him just a day prior at the Ancient Columns. Had it really only been a day? He supposed her mood must have had something to do with being back in the land of the Gerudo, so near to where her close friend resided.

They arrived in the Kara Kara Bazaar by midday, the heat sweltering and the sweat dripping down his back. He had passed the Princess a chilly elixir about an hour prior and had downed one himself, though it didn't do much to combat the dry air of the Gerudo Desert. The Bazaar, however, seemed cooler than the rest of the desert, the palm trees providing shade. The outpost surrounded a small oasis, where fresh water bubbled up from a small underground spring. Here, the temperature was tolerable, a welcome break from the sweltering heat.

The Bazaar was busy at this time of day, with various merchants of different races yelling out to anyone who would listen about their wares. Link kept the Princess close, a hand on her elbow and one on her back as he weaved them through the crowd towards where the path continued on towards Gerudo Town. Link did not miss this part of the Gerudo Desert. The Bazaar was home to some of the shadiest business in all of Hyrule.

Granted, that meant a lot, coming from Link.

Finally, they made their way towards the inn, where two Gerudo warriors stood wearing the crest of the Gerudo Chief. Nearby, three sand seals were stabled, ready to go at a moment's notice.

"Sav'aaq, Princess," the first of the warriors bowed curtly, "It is good to see you safely arrived. We had heard news from the castle, and acted with haste."

The Princess waved them off, a small smile gracing her face, "Yes, but nevertheless, it was about time for me to make a trip out here to Gerudo Town to see my dear friend, and her Divine Beast. The incident just made it much easier for me to get away."

The way she brushed off the incident at the castle almost made Link bark with laughter. It was trivial to her, the Yiga Clan. It was almost like she, herself, felt the Yiga Clan to not be a threat to her safety.

The eve of Calamity Ganon's return could not come soon enough.

Her warriors were here, but where was Urbosa? It was strange for her to not be immediately present, especially when she knew the Princess was arriving, and was expecting her.

The second of the warriors nodded slightly, "Chief Urbosa will meet you at the palace later this evening. There were some unseen complications with Divine Beast Vah Naboris she had to attend to. She sends her regards."

The Princess nodded primly, "It is of no consequence," before gesturing towards the sand seals, "Well, shall we be off?"

The two Gerudo warriors nodded once, before leading the way over to where the three sand seals were stabled. Link followed behind, his footsteps soft on the sand, before one of the Gerudo warriors looked over her shoulder slightly, her face unreadable.

"Princess," the Gerudo warrior began, "If I may, has your knight been briefed on the customs and laws of Gerudo Town?"

"I'm well aware," Link answered before the Princess could speak. Every man from the Karusa Valley all the way to the Lanayru Sea had heard of the mystical Gerudo Town, a tribe of only women with one strict rule: no men allowed. Quite a few of his male peers in the clan took the rare afternoon off from training to don their Hylian tunics to try and catch a glimpse into the Forbidden City. It wasn't for need of intelligence; the female Yiga did well to blend in with the locals to extract sensitive information from the chief. No, the men would try to break into the city for far more shrewd and selfish intentions.

Link never had an interest in joining the men on their fruitless plots. They were ill thought out, and ill planned. The Gerudo were sharp; sharper than some of the men gave them credit for, and most of the women towered over the members of the Yiga Clan, with the strength to match it. While the Yiga Clan was known for their sharp, sleek moves, the Gerudo Warriors were known for their merciless blunt force.

And Link was not about to go and pick that battle.

So instead, he relied on his wit, "I'm certain that Chief Urbosa will make an exception for me."

The desert was silent, as his words sunk in.

The two Gerudo soldiers burst out laughing, doubling over themselves, "Oh, you must excuse us," the first of them said, wiping an imaginary tear, "We just cannot help but laugh at the _audacity."_

"Truly," the second of them said, "As though our great Chief would make an exception for a puny Hylian voe like you!"

Puny? Did this towering bitch just call him puny? Just because he wasn't at a raging eight feet tall did not mean that he was puny. However, he was not about to let his guard down, so he steeled his face, keeping his emotions neutral.

It was the Princess that spoke next, "Sir Link, when father sent me out here to the Gerudo Desert, he knew what the implication would be. Gerudo Town is not about to dismantle a tradition that has been upheld for centuries. You've done your part; the Gerudo warriors can take it from here."

"Your father," Link said, pointedly, "entrusted me with your safe arrival to the Gerudo Desert, and after what happened in the castle, I'm not sure who I can trust with your safety."

"Are you telling me that you don't trust Chief Urbosa, _Champion_ Urbosa, and her people, to keep me safe? She was inducted as a champion for a reason, and she is on our side."

"I'm coming with you," Link said, with a tone of finality, his voice clipped.

The Princess smiled, though it did not quite reach her eyes, "Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?"

With that, the Princess turned around and grabbed the reins of a sand seal, with a practiced ease Link had not anticipated coming from her. Master Kohga had said that she had been in the Gerudo Valley prior to him giving him his mission. Did she make frequent trips out to the desert to see the Gerudo Chief? Just how close was she with Urbosa?

The two Gerudo Warriors looked back at Link noncommittally, and with a shrug, turned back around. They grabbed their sand seals and followed behind the Princess, who was already making her way across the desert, a flurry of sand being uprooted in her wake.

And Link was left in the bazaar, with no sand seal for transportation.

It would seem a little persuasion would have to go a long way. Until then, he was to make the path on foot.

The sun was high in the sky, and was proving to be treacherous as he made his way on foot towards the town on the horizon. Once outside of the bazaar, the desert became ominously quiet, with only the sound of the wind gently blowing on the sand. His shoes dug deep into the sand beneath him, making it more and more difficult to walk quickly through the desert.

How he longed for his Yiga Clan armor now. The armor was made not only to help combat the heat and icy temperatures of the bipolar desert, but it also did well to keep his feet light against the sand, making attacks and maneuvers a breeze on any terrain. He took a glance off towards the northwest of the path, where the unassuming valley lay of the Yiga Clan. It was just beyond the icehouse, a place frequented by many a Gerudo. By all accounts, it was a wonder that the Gerudo had not noticed where their hideout lay, as unsuspecting Hylians in simple garb came to and fro from the canyon.

By the time Link had made it to the walls of Gerudo Town, he had downed two chilly elixirs, but still had sweat cascading down his neck and back. The sun was nearly blinding him, as it began its descent into the west.

Well, at least the Gerudo could be useful at blocking the sun.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in!"

Speaking of which.

"I'm here to gain access to the city," Link said, holding himself as tall as he could muster despite the heat of the sun weighing him down, "My charge, Princess Zelda, is within the walls of Gerudo Town, and I have been tasked by the King of Hyrule to keep her safe at all times."

"And you are doing a fine job of it, kid," The Gerudo standing guard said, "Now beat it: no voe allowed."

"It wasn't a request," Link said, dangerously, as he walked forward in a fit of rage to shoulder his way past the two warriors standing guard.

A sharp pain in his gut, and the desert was swirling around him, before he fell clumsily onto his backside, staring back up at the guards. The first of them, the one he had conversed with, was now standing in a defensive position, the end of her staff pointing down towards him, before it twirled around, and he was face to face with the blade.

"I said _beat it,_ kid," the Gerudo said, her words harsh and clipped, "Unless you are so keen on meeting your end with the tip of my blade."

Link glared at the guard, picking himself up and taking a step back from the blade, his eyes narrowing as his mind calculated, "I would like to request an audience with the chief, then; as soon as possible."

"I'll pass along the message," the Gerudo guard said, though her tone sounded deceitful, "Though it will be on her terms, not yours. It is a privilege to speak with our great chief."

"Indeed," Link muttered, quelling the anger threatening to burst from within, "When should I expect to hear from her?"

"Whenever she decides it's most convenient for her," the Gerudo guard said, waving her hand noncommittally, "Now if I were you, I would head back to the Bazaar before the sun sets. The desert is known to get awfully cold in the nighttime, and a scrawny Hylian like you won't last an hour in the cold of the night. The chief will know where to find you if she wants to. Now _scram._ "

With that, Link was sent back the way he came, on the nearly invisible footpath leading back to the Kara Kara Bazaar. Truth be told, Link could not even give a rat's ass about being by the Princess's side. He actually preferred to _not_ be within her presence, the insufferable thing. However, it would not look good on his part to be separated from her by a couple of die-hard feminists, and it only made his task of gaining her trust that much more difficult.

Link needed a drink.

Once Link arrived in the Bazaar, he barged into the inn, slamming down a purple rupee onto the counter for a bed and the strongest drink they had in house. With that, he turned on his heel, making his way towards a small table in the corner, keeping his back to the wall and his eyes on the door.

Within a few moments, a small key was placed on his table for his room, as well as an icy, blue drink. Link knew this drink well. It was a Gerudo specialty: called Noble Pursuit. Link had heard legends of Gerudo women travelling across the desert in sweltering heat and freezing cold just to taste the sweet, potent drink on their tongue. It was not for the faint of heart, however: as they were mixed with the eight foot tall Gerudo in mind.

And though Link wasn't quite that tall, he took a large swig, swallowing before he even had a chance to truly taste it.

The effect was nearly instantaneous. Warmth travelled from his core to his extremities, and instantly, his mind was numbed. The drink was popular for a reason. There must be some secret ingredient to it, as during their off hours, some members of the Yiga Clan would attempt to recreate this drink, but to no avail. It could never be made as good as it was when mixed in the Bazaar or the Forbidden City.

Before long, his drink was downed, and a second one was replaced in its stead. Link, despite his slightly inebriated state, did not fail to miss the wary look the proprietor gave him upon setting down the second drink. Whether it was fear for giving a Hylian a second drink, or astonishment at a Hylian even making it to a second drink, he was not sure. With the second drink in hand, he tilted it back towards his lips.

As he brought the glass back down, he found himself face to face with the Chief of the Gerudo.

"Sav'saaba. Drinking on the job, are you?"

Setting the glass down on the table with more force than he had intended, Link sighed, "I wouldn't say that I'm drinking on the job, since I don't exactly have a job to do in the first place."

Urbosa pursed her lips, reaching out with one hand to move the glass away from him, "Regardless, you are still the Princess's appointed knight, and given what just transpired in Hyrule Castle, I would say that this is entirely irresponsible."

"So then you'll let me into Gerudo Town to keep watch over my charge?"

"Voe are forbidden from entry into Gerudo Town."

Link reached over and grabbed his drink, taking another swig. Urbosa sighed.

"You asked my guard for an audience with me, and to be fair, I am surprised that they even told me. To what do I owe the pleasure? Or did you just want a babysitter for when you can't hold your liquor?"

"You know as well as I do why I requested an audience with you," Link muttered, meeting her eyes, "The Princess exploited the law that restricts men from entering Gerudo Town so she could slip away from me. I am ordered by the _High King of Hyrule_ to keep her safe at all times, and by his orders, I demand entrance to your city."

"I do not appreciate you pulling rank on me," Urbosa said, her gaze narrowing dangerously, "While the King of Hyrule rules over all of the providences of Hyrule, I am still the chief of my land, and you are but a guest here in the desert. Furthermore, I do not appreciate the way that you spoke earlier with my guards. This is their land, not yours. The King knew of the implications of sending his daughter to my lands. I am granting a favor to him by protecting his daughter. You would do well not to pick a war with me."

"Then let me through the city gates."

"Voe are forbidden from entry into Gerudo Town."

"You keep saying that."

"And yet, you are not listening to what I am telling you. Now listen closely," Urbosa leaned in, and said in a slow tone, "Voe are forbidden from entry into Gerudo Town."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"This is your Champion?" Urbosa asked, her tone exasperated, as she tilted her head up towards the ceiling of the inn. She locked eyes with him again, "Must I spell this out for you? Let's put it this way: all members of the Goron race are allowed entry into Gerudo Town. Do you know why this is?"

Link was silent, and chose to take another swig of his Noble Pursuit in response. Urbosa sighed.

"It is because they identify as neither voe nor vai. When referring to one another, they lean towards the masculine pronouns, but they don't identify as anything other than Goron. The law clearly states that voe are forbidden entry, but it says nothing about vai being its sole inhabitants: thus the Gorons are allowed entry."

"What are you getting at?"

"I don't mean to presume, but you would identify yourself as a voe, correct?"

"What kind of a question is that?"

"And yet," Urbosa ignored his outburst, "for a voe, you have such soft features, and are quite short for a Hylian male. I'm certain that with the right chemise, and the right accessories, we might just be able to accentuate that feminine beauty of yours."

A bad feeling developed in the pit of Link's stomach, and it wasn't from drinking too much of the Noble Pursuit. Gently, he lowered his glass to the table, his eyes locking with Urbosa's.

She grinned, her smile turning devilish, as she strummed her long nails against the table, "Tell me, Hero: just how far are you willing to go to get into Gerudo Town?"

* * *

Remind Link to add Urbosa to the list of people he was going to kill after all of this was said and done.

He had been instructed to climb to the top of the inn and reach the top at midnight. Not a minute before; not a minute after. There he had met a merchant dressed in traditional Gerudo silks. To say whether the person was a woman or a man, Link couldn't be sure. But he supposed that didn't matter, in the end. After a game of horrifying flirting, as there was really no other way to get the person to talk, the merchant mentioned the style they wore would look well on Link, helping to accentuate that feminine beauty, as Urbosa had put it.

And six hundred rupees later, Link had been undeniably ripped off, and was the new owner of a set of Gerudo silks.

The silks did not leave much to the imagination, much to Link's dismay, but the veil hid the sharper features of his face, and he was assured that at first glance, he was sure to pass as a Hylian vai.

He arrived to the great city in the night, and was pleased to have been able to walk right past the two Gerudo guards at the eastern entrance to the city. However, he failed to notice that the two of them were snickering behind crumbling facades, like they were privy to a joke that only the two of them knew.

The city was deserted; still sound asleep, save for a Rito or two that rose before the sun. Link made a beeline for the palace, knowing that it wouldn't be long before he was back at the Princess's side. He couldn't wait to see that smug look on her face crumble once it dawned on her that she would no longer be able to give him the slip. There wouldn't be a place in all of Hyrule where she would be able to hide from him. Then, he would be able to perform his role masterfully.

He climbed up the steps into the palace, the guards snickering behind their spears. Only then did he notice their jeering, but he paid them no mind. He was so close to the throne room; so close to the Princess.

…The throne room was empty, save for one massive Gerudo standing empty near the throne. She took a step forward, her spear hitting the stonework sharply.

"Halt: who goes there?"

"I am here to see the Gerudo Chief Urbosa and the Princess of Hyrule."

"I'm afraid you shall not see them."

Link's blood boiled, and he made no attempt to calm it, "I beg your pardon?"

"They left in the night to make their way to the Divine Beast."

To the Divine Beast? The Gerudo wench knew that he would be coming into the city for his charge, and yet she decided to leave in the night, to make his fight to get into the city all for nothing?

Scratch that, waiting to kill her until after all of this was said and done; he had half a mind to show the chief her intestines the next he saw her.

He turned on his heel, moving briskly to exit the palace before he did anything rash.

"One more thing," the guard called out, a small grin formulating on her face, "The Chief did mention that a small Hylian vai may enter the city tonight. She wished to send her regards, and that she hopes you enjoy your _access_ to the city, and all that Gerudo Town has to offer."

…

…

…

That _bitch._

Link stormed out of the city, and all but changed directly in front of the guards at the eastern entrance, propriety be damned in that moment. The guards, however, seemed not to care, as they were doubled over on themselves, laughing with no remorse as Link threw his tunic on and adjusted his belts and baldric.

He snuck his way over to a pack of wild sand seals, and with little preamble, commandeered one, and began his trek towards the Divine Beast on the horizon.

No amount of chilly elixirs could tame the wildfire coursing through his blood. As he approached the beast, Divine Beast Vah Naboris lowered herself to the ground, as though she was expecting him. He dismounted from the wild sand seal, taking off into a run for the last few paces. He climbed aboard the beast, as he felt the beast raise higher and higher, the beast preparing to trek through the desert.

He made his way through the heart of the beast, towards where he saw was a large, open balcony. Right before it, he saw, were the Princess's boots.

Aha! He had found her.

He stepped out onto the balcony.

"Ah, well you certainly got here fast."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, this chapter was so fun to write! I had intended to get Urbosa's memory chapter in this one, but it just didn't fit with my chapter lengths! However, Chapter 9 is finished, and it features that memory and the next one, which means… it's the chapter you all have been waiting for! THAT scene!
> 
> It has been so cool to hear all of you on here and ff.net speculate about 'That Day'. So many of you are wondering how that scene is going to go, what would happen after, what will happen when Ganon returns, and even what would happen in this universe IF Link woke from the shrine and remembered his allegiance. I won't spoil anything for you, but these are all things I have thought about and considered when writing this story! I hope you all like the twist I've added for next chapter!
> 
> Anyways, let me know your thoughts, comments, and concerns! I will see you next Wednesday!


	9. Chapter 9

Link marched forward, his anger towards the Gerudo Chief radiating off of him in waves. He wanted to give her a piece of his mind, but was stopped, his eyes narrowing, by the sight of the Princess sleeping soundly against Urbosa.

Urbosa took that moment of hesitation to continue, glancing back at him with a sly smile on her face, "I should have expected as much, from the Princess's own appointed knight."

"You sent me on a wild goose chase," Link said, a hint of danger in his voice.

"I did no such thing," Urbosa replied, waving her hand at him, "You asked me to let you, a Hylian voe, in through the city gates. As you're well aware, voe are not permitted through the city gates. That being said, my guards only look at Gerudo Town's visitors at face value… I trust that the city was to your liking. I'm sure you looked quite fetching in that chemise."

"You tricked me, and humiliated me in front of your guards."

"Again, I did no such thing," Urbosa grinned, "I let you bend the rules, and you did all the rest yourself. In no way did I guarantee that the Princess would be inside the city walls when you arrived," she looked back down at the Princess, a sigh escaping her lips, "She was out on a survey all day today… still as the sands now."

As Link looked closer at the Princess, he noticed sand and dirt staining her tunic and pants, with her cheeks pink from the sun. He hoped Urbosa had half a mind not to let her go through the desert unaccompanied.

"So…?" Urbosa's tone grew dryer than the Gerudo air, "Spill it boy. Have the two of you been getting along all right?"

By the look she was sending back at him, it was clear that at some point during their excursions, the Princess had confided in her, and had told the Gerudo Chief her side of the story. The look Urbosa was giving him told him that she was unimpressed.

However, her words told a different story, "It's okay… I know. Your silence speaks volumes."

"What has she told you?" Link tried, quelling his anger at least for the moment.

"Does it matter?" Urbosa shot back, "What weight do you hold against the word of the Princess of Hyrule? However, you need not worry: the shifting sands of the Gerudo Desert often change without a moment's notice. Where once a traveler's footprints might have been, they disappear with the shift in the wind. The sand is smooth… untouched. A fresh slate to move forward from," she sighed, her eyes gazing down towards the Princess, "If you must know, she gets frustrated every time she looks up and sees you carrying that sword on your back. It makes her feel like a failure when it comes to her own destiny."

"That's hardly my fault," Link said, brazenness and anger overcoming his senses again.

"Don't worry," Urbosa waved off, "It's not like you carry blame in any of this. It's just… unfortunate, the way that things are working out… she's put in more than enough time."

"I'm not sure I follow," Link confessed, taking a step forward, "She only just recruited the four of you to pilot the Divine Beasts."

"It's been going on for far longer than that, boy," Urbosa said, irritation bleeding into her voice, "When we first learned that the Calamity Ganon was making his return, the Princess here was just a small child. Ever since she was a young girl, she's gone through rigorous daily routines to show her dedication to the Goddesses… she once passed out in the freezing waters trying to access this sealing power. With the death of her mother, when she was only six, she was left then without a teacher to help her access her sacred powers. Even after all this time, after all of the work she has put in, she still has nothing to show for it… that's the motivation driving her research."

"I… I didn't know," Link said.

"You wouldn't have," Urbosa agreed, "I can't imagine she would have ever told you, on her own. In fact, I would be doing the same thing," she took the time to tuck a stray lock of hair around the Princess's face, tucking it behind her ear, "She really is quite… special, don't you think, Hero?"

Special was a _word,_ certainly, but it wouldn't have been the word he would have used to describe the Princess. Though he supposed, by the barest definition of the world, he could consider the Princess to be 'special': of special interest to the Yiga Clan and their plans to resurrect the Demon King.

Link nodded, wordlessly, realizing that the Gerudo Champion expected an answer.

She smiled, a deceitful look in her eye, "You be sure to protect her with your life. It's quite the honor."

He wasn't sure what that look was intended to mean, but he simply nodded, his treacherous promise passing through his lips easily, "I will not fail."

Urbosa nodded, her eyes locking with his in a gridlock, "Do me a favor, while you are out here with the Princess. Give her some space. She is under an immense amount of pressure, and she views her time here in the Gerudo Desert and in the town as an escape from the expectations of Hyrule Castle. It's a safe haven to her, and while the girl does have the expectations of unlocking her sacred powers, she is that: just a girl. Let her use this time to not have to be the Princess. Let her use this time to just be Zelda."

"But -"

"I know, I know," Urbosa laughed, "You have your duty towards her as her appointed knight. Take my word for it, as Chief of the Gerudo: so long as she is within my realm, no harm will come to the Princess. I have scouts stationed throughout the desert: scouts that not even the cowardly Yiga Clan know about."

Cowardly? And scouts that the Yiga Clan didn't know about?

"There is never a time when she is not under the protection of the Gerudo. You can take my word for it."

Link sighed, his mind calculating. He supposed the Gerudo Chief did have a point, _and_ if anything happened, he could always shift the blame to her.

Not that Commander Impa would believe him.

He nodded once, finalizing his decision, "Very well."

"Good," Urbosa looked out over the rolling desert then, gazing off towards where the moon shined, "The night brings a chill…" she looked down towards the Princess, sleeping soundly, "It's probably time we take her in."

With that, the winds shifted in from the Gerudo Highlands, cold air billowing against the Divine Beast, its exterior buzzing faintly from its cackling power source.

Urbosa seemed to notice that, too, for she looked up then, a devious look in her eyes, "Or…"

A snap of her fingers, and lightning struck far too close for comfort to the Divine Beast. Vah Naboris shook, the sound of the electric green lightning jarring, making Link's ears ring. No doubt, this lightning could be heard and seen all the way from the Karusa Valley, and no doubt, even beyond.

Like clockwork, the Princess awoke with a start, her arms flailing and her eyes wild, landing on her hands and knees, "Urbosa! What was that? Did you feel that?"

The Princess seemed to sense him out of the corner of her eye then. It was beginning to develop as a sort of sixth sense for her, and slowly, as though she might just be imagining it, and he might be a mirage, she turned to face him, visibly starting again when her eyes locked with his.

"Wait, what… how did you – what are you doing here?"

With that, Urbosa threw her head back, laughing at a joke that neither the Princess nor Link understood. Link could not understand why Urbosa would wake her up like that. He would have much preferred her to have at least waited until he had left the Divine Beast.

"Wh-What's so funny?" the Princess asked, anger beginning to bleed into her voice.

"Oh, it's nothing, Little Bird," Urbosa said, looking back towards Link, "Don't worry about him. I called him up here to give him instructions while he is in my realm. He was just leaving."

The Princess looked back up at Link, the question clear in her eyes, before Link nodded once, before turning around and heading back the way that he came.

It was true: he most certainly was just leaving.

As Link went to exit the Divine Beast, Vah Naboris lowered herself to the sandy desert floor almost naturally; instinctually. For whatever reason, Link felt certain that the Gerudo Chief had not piloted the beast herself to fall to the ground; the beast had done that on her own.

Link shivered. While they were absolutely fascinating ancient pieces of technology, and would be an asset to the Yiga Clan's cause, he couldn't help but feel that perhaps the Divine Beast had a mind of its own, and the Ancient Sheikah had created something that reigned far over their heads.

As though this technology, with one wrong move, could go wildly out of their control.

Link stepped off of the Divine Beast, and began making his way back towards the Kara Kara Bazaar, which was now a lone beacon on the horizon; a dim candle in a sea of grey. Only now did Link realize the true freezing temperatures of the Gerudo Desert in the dead of night, and instinctually pulled his tunic closer towards him, conserving his body temperature. He did not think, nor had time to pack any hoods or woolen blankets with him.

Truth be told, he hadn't any intention of trekking out into the desert, after donning his initial disguise.

Urbosa had requested that he give the Princess space, of which he was more than happy to do. However, to lose sight of her, or to leave her alone in the desert was out of the question, regardless of these so-called 'scouts' positioned throughout the desert. Did she really think that the Yiga Clan was not already privy to all of these scouts throughout the desert?

She couldn't have had any stationed that his clan did not already know about, could she?

Thus, Link would keep watch on her, but from a distance. The desert was littered with Lizalfos that looked like rocks when they camouflaged with the sand and dirt. Though Link was certain that the Gerudo soldiers could spot these monsters from a mile away, he doubted that they were as fast as them.

Link would face the consequences of both the Yiga Clan and the King of Hyrule if the Princess died by Lizalfo gash.

By the time Link made it back to the Bazaar, he could not get his teeth to stop clattering, but he had formulated a plan. The next morning, Link watched from the roof of the inn as the Princess left Gerudo Town _by herself_ on a sand seal, making her way due east towards the Bazaar. However, that was not her final destination. At the Bazaar, she took a turn north, and from off in the distance, Link could make out the vague outline of a shrine.

The vague outline of a shrine that was _inside_ of a sandstorm. What was the Princess thinking?

Link made his way down from the top of the inn, leaping where he could, and jogged over to where a small watchtower was erected amongst the merchant's tents. He climbed to the top and squinted against the harsh desert winds, the sand from the storm making its way towards the Bazaar.

In the distance, the Princess seemed to move slowly amongst the sand mounds. The Sheikah shrine really was quite a distance away. As Link squinted, he saw faint figures moving on the horizon, and it took a few seconds before he realized who they were.

Gerudo soldiers. Spears. Dead Lizalfos. It seemed they were discretely dispatching the monsters, clearing a path for the Princess. Now the Princess would have a graveyard of unseeing Lizalfo carcasses to sand surf through.

How… courteous of them.

It wasn't long before the Princess disappeared altogether in the sand storm, the unimpressive thing being masked by the swirling whirlwinds of dust. He had to wonder if any of the Gerudo soldiers had eyes on her in that moment. From his vantage point, it was impossible for any of the scouts to see her from this distance. He wondered just how close the scouts were to her and the Sheikah shrine. He wondered if they would be up close, just feet away from the Princess, and she still would not notice. He hoped the Gerudo Chief was bright enough to have given the Princess sand goggles and sand boots before she left for her expedition.

Sometimes, he truly felt like he was the only one looking out for the Princess's wellbeing.

Hours ticked by without any shift in movement from the direction of the shrine. More than once, Link thought he saw something moving out of the corner of his eye, but upon reassessing, he realized it was just the shifting sands. The desert sun beat down on him mercilessly, and Link went through draught after draught of chilly elixirs, and at one point, even abandoned his post momentarily to slide the merchant down below a blue rupee in exchange for half a Hydromelon.

He munched on this as he watched the desert storm with enthusiastic concentration, as though he were watching a riveting performance or a fighting match.

Then, like the sun bursting out from behind the clouds for the first time that day, Link saw the faint outline of the Princess riding out from the sand storm. As she came into focus, Link could see her hair billowing in the wind behind her violently, as though her hair were sails on a ship and would send her careening into the desert with one well placed swoop. She held onto the reins steadily though, expertly, and made her way through the sand dunes, back towards the Bazaar, and then presumably, back onwards towards Gerudo Town.

In that moment, three things happened.

First, Link had begun to see the silhouettes of the Gerudo soldiers through the sand storm, as they made their way back to the town. All of a sudden, the three silhouettes dropped to the desert floor violently, their limbs unmoving.

Then, the Princess lost her grip on her reins and toppled to the desert floor, her sand seal having hit a large rock hidden underneath the sandy plains.

And finally, out of the corner of his left eye, Link saw three red silhouettes blur unmistakably fast across the desert from the west, heading straight towards the Princess, their formation strikingly familiar: for it was Link who was the one who had created it.

_Yiga._

Again, remind Link that leaving the Princess alone equates to bad things happening.

Link was running before he even knew what he was doing, his feet slipping dangerously against the sand. It was a tri-formation Yiga Foot Soldier ambush. It was lethal when used against Hylians. This move was what had solidified Link's promotion to Lieutenant, and now his clan was using it on the Princess of Hyrule.

Did they not know of his mission? What the fuck did they think were they doing?

Master Kohga had specifically said the Princess was to die on the eve of Calamity Ganon's return. Killing her right now in the middle of the Gerudo desert was most certainly _not_ on the eve of his return. And out of all the great places in the world to execute an assassination, why choose the Gerudo desert, with zero witnesses to the death? It was tactless; it was boring.

It was going to cost these Foot Soldiers _and_ Link their lives.

His clan was going to ruin everything all because they saw a flash of blonde hair in the desert and thought to try and make Master Kohga proud.

The Princess still had not seen the Yiga formation coming towards her, and was sprawled out on her bottom on the desert floor, looking around disoriented, trying to find her sand seal. If Link had any guess he would say that sand seal was long gone by now, its animal instincts alerting him to the danger at hand. As it was, the Princess was still far away from him, _too_ far away, and the Yiga, in their Foot Soldier armor, trekked the sandy dunes effortlessly, outpacing Link four steps to his three.

He willed himself to move faster, and called out towards the Princess. Over the roaring winds of the sand storm, the Princess didn't hear him, her gaze locked on the picture of the Bazaar on the horizon.

However, the Foot Soldiers had certainly heard him.

As both the Yiga and Link got closer to the Princess – the Yiga from one side and Link from the other – Link began to sense his brothers; feeling their presence within the desert. He called out to them in his mind and willed them to cease and desist, to call off whatever idiot and downright double-crossing plan they had come up with. However, they either did not hear him or did not care to hear him. Their strides never once faltered, never once slowed down, and Link realized with a harrowing realization that he very well might be too late.

The Princess finally looked up to the west, noticing the faint movement on the horizon. The panic was evident on her face; the threat from the castle finally dawning on her as the Yiga Foot Soldiers closed the gap between them. Quickly, the Princess began running back towards the Bazaar, her feet slipping underneath her in the slippery sand.

No, it was evident to Link that Chief Urbosa had _not_ supplied the Princess of Hyrule with sand boots.

The Foot Soldiers were gaining on the Princess despite her attempts to run from them. Just a few months ago, Link would have laughed at the futility of the situation, and would have begun making arrangements to attend the royal funeral. Now though, Link was only spurred on even more at the look of panic etched onto the Princess's face. There would not be a royal funeral today, or even this week.

The Princess's powers were still needed for their Demon King.

The Princess was nearly to the outskirts of town. She was almost close enough to call out for help. If she were lucky, a brave, albeit foolish, townsfolk would save her, jumping out in front of the Foot Soldier's Vicious Sickle. It was too much to hope that the townsfolk would take down the three Yiga Clansmen – even a mere Foot Soldier was far too strong for a Hylian or Gerudo. But perhaps, by using their body as a shield, it would buy Link the precious two or three seconds he would need to catch up to them.

The Foot Soldiers then began executing the second phase of the tri-formation ambush, of which Link was all too familiar. Two of them rounded the sides, blocking off the Princess's path from up front, while the third of them followed behind, blocking her escape. Link saw, as he sprinted towards them, the Princess fall to the ground, her hands and knees scrapping on the fine, dusty sand and rock, her head snapping to and fro in horror as she realized there was no way to escape. Of course there was no way to escape. The formation was of Link's own creation. Failure was not an option in the Yiga Clan.

How could it be that the Princess was going to be assassinated by the Yiga Clan, using Link's own configuration, while Link, a Lieutenant of the very same clan, was trying to save the Princess… in order to kill her later.

Link needed a raise.

Link saw the look of pure terror on the Princess's face as the three Foot Soldiers lurked closer to their target, cutting off any potential chance of escaping. Link was now close enough that he could hear the Princess's whimpers on the wind, and could smell the faint, breezy scent of bananas coming from his clansmen. He watched as the three Foot Soldiers pulled their Vicious Sickles out, the metal glaring harshly in the dry, desert sun.

Link was only a few feet away from his Yiga brothers now, and yet he did not feel that he was nearly close enough. The Yiga in the center had his Vicious Sickle raised in the air, ready to make the stab from jugular to abdomen. Once the blade hit the skin and dug, there was no chance for survival. Link estimated that he had about five seconds until the blade hit its mark.

He hadn't a moment to spare. His hand was already gripping the hilt of the Master Sword, the sword seemingly pulsating against his hand, though it was likely his heart beat hammering against his chest. His sword was out in the next second, and he was certain that the Foot Soldier who was facing him had noticed his proximity. In the third second, he shouldered past the other clansman on the side, pushing him back and staggering him. He was two feet away from the Princess, and saw her head turned away in fear, her body visibly shaking. In the fourth second, he saw the Vicious Sickle begin to come down from above the soldier's head.

In the final second, Link lunged in front of the Princess, the Master Sword meeting the Vicious Sickle in a malicious engagement. With a flick of his wrist, the Vicious Sickle went flying, as the Master Sword slashed deep into the Yiga Foot Soldier from abdomen to jugular, his attack mirroring what the Yiga had intended.

The Foot Soldier fell to the sand in a bloody heap, but Link paid him little mind. He stood in front of the Princess, Master Sword in hand, looking side to side at each of the remaining two Yiga, practically daring them to challenge their Lieutenant. He couldn't tell who they were from their masks, but it mattered not: who were they to go against their Lieutenant and against their clan?

Link feinted towards the first of the Yiga, daring him to make a move. The second of the two took the bait and lunged at Link, who easily sidestepped him and plunged his blade into his heart, kicking the Foot Soldier off of his blade and into the sand and dirt. The third was the easiest to dispatch, though the coward thought to try and initiate his teleportation to go back to the hideout.

With the three Foot Soldiers effectively terminated, and the Master Sword dripping with their blood, the threat at large was dismissed.

And yet, Link's mind was reeling.

Why did his clan attack the Princess, when he was on a mission from Master Kohga himself to assassinate her to Ganon's return? Had they gone rogue? Were they really that stupid? What could have possessed them to do something so downright treacherous?

Or had something changed?

Did they anticipate Calamity Ganon's arrival being even sooner than they expected? Did Master Kohga change the mission, and was the Princess supposed to die? If so, why hadn't he been made privy to this information? Had his master reason to believe that the Demon King was to make his return _tomorrow?_

Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw something flutter in the first Foot Soldier's hand.

The Princess was still quaking in fear near the rocky outcrop; her eyes open wide and unseeing - not quite processing anything. Link paid her no mind. She would be fine: he had saved her life, hadn't he? He bent down to his brother's corpse, peeling back fingers and revealing a small note clutched in the Foot Soldier's hand. It was small, no more than two inches across, and as Link read it, his eyes widened, as he recognized his master's handwriting instantly.

_How's this for reasonable doubt?_

As the small note shriveled up in his palm, igniting in flames and turning to ashes, the realization hit Link like a sack of bricks. He remembered the Yiga Clansman, the servant, the traitor, in the dark shadows of Hyrule Castle. He remembered admitting that the Sheikah were onto him and that he needed _reasonable doubt_ to be cleared of suspicion.

Well, certainly saving the Princess from a _Yiga attack_ would clear his name and cease any continuing suspicions of him being in the clan.

And yet, Link was still recoiling from all of this information. He had killed his brothers – three of them – in a ploy to gain the trust of the Hyrulean Royal Family and of the Sheikah Tribe. It felt different than killing the man down in the lockup. Down there, that fool was a traitor, having given the Sheikah intelligence of another brother being in the castle. Failure was not an option in the Yiga Clan, and traitors would not be tolerated: and so, he was terminated.

As he looked down at the Foot Soldiers, he stared blankly at their masks: into the benevolent and menacing symbol of his clan. His brothers gave their lives for their clan, and yet something still was not sitting right with Link. Was this considered treason, to kill his clansmen to save the Princess? Was this a suicide mission? Or were the soldiers merely bait?

Did the three Foot Soldiers realize when they were assigned this mission that their fate was sealed, and they were going to die at the hands of their Lieutenant?

The lines between treason and allegiance were blurring, and Link was not sure which side he was standing on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That final line of this chapter has been written before this story was even conceptualized! This scene with the Yiga is what inspired this entire story! This has been one of the most exciting scenes for me to write, and it's such a huge turning point in the arch of the story.
> 
> My original concept was to have one memory per chapter, and for the MOST part, I have stuck to that. However, I think as we progress deeper into the plot, the memories will be more spaced out as I write more of my Yiga content (cause like, that's what you're all here for, right?)
> 
> We still have a TON more drama coming up in the next few chapters – the beginning of the next chapter, specifically! I am so excited to share it all with you!
> 
> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! See you next Wednesday!


	10. Chapter 10

The great bell chimed precisely at seven in the morning. Everyone in the entire castle was already present, standing in observation. King Rhoam had made it quite clear that everyone was to be in attendance this morning, from servants all the way to Royal Advisors. The entire castle knew better than to ignore a summons from their King. The sun shined brightly from the east, with not a cloud in the sky, and birds all around chirped their good mornings.

Link stood just behind and to the left of the Princess and her father. They were on a balcony, intended for the Royal Family as they looked out onto the courtyard below. This courtyard was generally used for celebrations, for parties and gatherings and the like. Yet today, Link noticed with a sly sort of smile, it was being used for a different sort of celebration.

It really was a beautiful day for a beheading.

The executioner stood on a stone platform in the center of the courtyard, sharpening a sizable and weighty axe. The weapon shined brightly, and Link could see even from his vantage point how well cared for the axe was – it's blade sharp and reinforced. Link felt a sense of appreciation towards the man: not many took such refined care of their weaponry.

The girl was brought out bound in shackles, a gag tied around her mouth, and her face streaked with tearstains. The entire castle was in observance of this execution: It was clear to Link that King Rhoam meant to make an example of her.

His lips coiled upwards.

The small girl couldn't have been any older than thirteen or fourteen. It was tragic, he supposed, the way things had turned out. Tragic, yet necessary. When he had tossed the bloodied knife into her chest after killing his clan brother, he hadn't put two and two together that the Commander would have found it in her search, or that she would blame the dainty little thing for it.

For shame, too: it was so hard to get good handmaidens nowadays.

In front of him, Link could see the Princess's shoulders shaking; whether it was in anger or anguish he wasn't sure, nor did he quite care. The accusation had been simple: the handmaiden, assigned to the Princess, had been found guilty of being of the Yiga Clan, due to the knife in question being found in her chest.

Link remembered hearing the handmaiden's cries as she was dragged from the servant's quarters. He had just returned from the Gerudo Desert with the Princess. The Princess, just following the Yiga attacks, had panicked, and demanded to be taken back to Hyrule Castle at once. The Yiga could be anywhere, she had said, and she would much rather be within the walls of Hyrule Castle, than out in the open Gerudo Desert. Against his better judgment, and the demands of his King, he had obliged. Truth be told, he was still reeling from the Yiga attack in the desert, and was in no state to argue with her. However, the timing of their return could not have been better.

As they returned from the desert and entered the heart of the castle, the Commander Impa had quickly intercepted them, in an attempt to spare the Princess from the screams. It had been music to his ears, and yet it had snapped something from deep inside the Princess, as she ran after the guards apprehending her maid – her friend, as she had called her – and had to be restrained by the Commander.

It would seem that the lockdown had just been lifted.

The execution was really nonnegotiable. Her handmaiden assisted the Princess with everything: with dressing, with bathing, and was in her quarters frequently. Had they waited even one more day, her handmaiden could have assassinated her with the very same blade used to kill the Yiga Clansman down in the lockup. She could have finished the job that the three Yiga Foot Soldiers had started not a day prior in the Gerudo Desert.

Yes, it was really in the Princess's best interest that this girl be executed.

The girl was brought up to the stone platform, and when the girl became face to face with the executioner, her cries rang true throughout the courtyard. Commander Impa was nearby, her face stony and impassive, as the girl was forced onto her knees, her neck pushed down, a basket placed below it.

Whether or not the Commander believed him to be the second brother was inconsequential at this point, and she knew it: with that dagger found in the girl's chest, it laid indisputable evidence on her from the perspective of the King. With no evidence to back up her claim, she too, had to back the Crown's decisions.

The Commander's voice rang clear throughout the courtyard, "This girl has been found guilty of high treason, of conspiring with the Yiga Clan. She is found guilty of tampering with evidence, espionage, homicide, and of planning to assassinate the Princess of Hyrule. For this treason, she is sentenced to die by beheading.

"Let this serve as a warning to all of you: those who conspire with the Yiga Clan, those who go against the Goddess Hylia, and those who downright plot against the Royal Family will face the same, if not worse, punishment that you will see here today. There will be no leniency; no second chances," Commander Impa turned towards the girl, her face blank, impassive, "May the Goddess Hylia have mercy on you."

With that, Commander Impa nodded towards the executioner, and from below their balcony, drums began to roll. In front of him, Link saw the Princess begin to shake again. She had to watch: she was the Princess of Hyrule, and she had to back the Crown's decisions.

The drums grew in crescendo, as the birds chirped cheerfully in the air. Then, the executioner swung his axe behind him, and then up and over, the force of the axe going down, down, down, until it sliced cleanly through the girl's neck.

The courtyard was silent, and all heard as the Princess of Hyrule cried out, her head snapping away from the scene. Her eyes were screwed shut, tears rolling down her face, as she tried to hide herself away from the horror.

To look away was a sign of weakness, or worse: of remorse. It could be viewed as a sign of treason.

Sadly, no one would think the Princess of Hyrule treasonous. Wouldn't that be an interesting turn of events?

The next moment had her running, away from the scene – away from her deceased friend. Commander Impa looked up into the Royal Family's balcony, a stony, yet sad look upon her, as the executioner lifted his axe from the platform, the shining metal dripping with dark, red blood in the early morning sun.

It really was a beautiful day for a beheading.

The next couple of weeks went by without much consequence for Link. He and the Princess had been scheduled to make their way up to Zora's Domain to see Mipha and look over her Divine Beast, but seeing as the Princess would hardly leave her room following her handmaiden's execution, that trip was postponed indefinitely.

Indefinitely worked well for the Yiga Clan and Calamity Ganon. Let the Princess spend her last couple of months pouting prior to the Demon King's return.

Because of this, Link found that he actually had a bit more time to himself, and did not have to spend the entirety of it stationed outside of the Princess's chambers. He had an entire rotation of the Royal Guard to do that, and so he found himself actually being able to fulfill his role as Captain of the Royal Guard: train his knights, develop new training regiments, and sneak into the King's study to apprehend information for the Yiga Clan.

Certainly, that was part of the job description.

Truth be told, he wasn't able to find much. It looked as though many of the documents he had seen in there had been moved elsewhere, and most of what he found was inconsequential to the clan's efforts.

The Yiga Clan did not need to know about the King's innermost thoughts from his _diary._

And then, later on, something bizarre happened.

Link was summoned to the Commander's study.

Naturally, he was kicking himself for being so sloppy. Of course someone probably saw him sneaking into the King's study. How was he going to explain his way out of this one?

The Commander's study was located just above the second gatehouse. As Link let himself into the small study, he was genuinely surprised that the Commander didn't greet him with his face pressed up against the stone, and his arm twisted behind his back. Instead, she sat at her desk, cradling her head in her hands, as she pondered over a document in front of her.

She gestured for him to have a seat in a small chair across from her desk. The room was quiet, and overlooked the small grounds beneath them where the Royal Guard often trained, always in sight of their Commander. She looked up at him then, a blank, weary look on her face, and for the first time he had ever seen, her fiery red eyes were dulled.

"I must apologize," Commander Impa began, "for the way that I have regarded you in the last few months since you have pulled the Master Sword."

Well, this certainly wasn't what he had been expecting.

"In light of recent events," the Commander continued, "I can see now that I had only been seeing what I had wanted to see. Because of this, I had almost been blind to not one, but two traitors within the castle, and had it not been for your quick thinking out in the Gerudo Desert, the Princess would very well be dead. Not every knight would have been able to hold their own against three Yiga Foot Soldiers with not so much as a scratch, and seeing as you performed your duty faithfully to the Princess, I must thank you."

This blasted Sheikah was _apologizing_ to him. This foolish Commander was _thanking_ him.

Oh, things were just getting better and better.

"It is an honor to serve the Princess of Hyrule and that of the Royal Family," Link responded, his face set in perfect neutrality, "and I will do so until the day the Calamity Ganon is defeated or my blade falls."

"May Hylia guide you," Commander Impa actually _bowed_ , standing up to show him out, "Should you ever need any additional support, know that you have mine and that of the entire Hyrulean Royal Army."

Link nodded, returning the bow more out of protocol than anything, and walked out.

In this, Link failed to notice the inferno and sharpness return to the Commander's eyes, the way she focused on him: watching his every move.

Link descended the stairs from the second gatehouse, making his way towards the other side of the castle, towards the Guard's Chambers. He had a report that needed finishing before the end of the month, regarding his Royal Guard. It would seem that some knights were becoming too skilled – too adept in their training, and it certainly wouldn't do to have their talents _wasted_ here, at Hyrule Castle. Certainly, they would be a much better fit for a garrison up in the Hebra region, or in the Gerudo Highlands.

Someplace far away from him and the Princess.

Yes, a transfer was certainly in order, and he planned to word it as a strongly recommended promotion to captain a remote garrison. With Commander Impa now trusting in him, and having the entire Hyrulean Royal Army at his disposal, as well as being the Hylian Champion and Captain of the Royal Guard, he certainly believed that he had enough weight so that his actions would not be questioned.

"Captain!"

Good grief, what now?

Link spun around on his heel, his cold blue eyes leveling one of his knights of his Royal Guard, who was making his way over towards him with haste. Link didn't make a point of learning his knight's names, but this man's name was just on the tip of his tongue. Actually, he was one of the men that he needed to transfer out of Central Hyrule. Too strong… too burly. His named rhymed with an animal, that much he was sure. Was his name Goose? Moose?

Did it even matter?

"What is it?" Link sighed, running a hand through his hair, where a small headache was beginning to form. He really didn't have time for idle conversation in the midst of all of his work. The Princess _would_ eventually call on him again.

"The Princess calls for you."

So much for that.

"Did she say what for?" Link asked.

"No," the knight responded, "But she did tell me to prepare both her horse and yours for a trip out towards the North Hyrule Plain."

This man was about as bright as a bag of bricks. Clearly, the Princess was planning a trip out towards the Royal Ancient Lab. Perhaps, with how dumb this man was, a transfer was not required.

It wasn't as though Link was going to have time that day anymore to send out the recommendation.

Link made his way up the winding staircases towards the Princess's tower, noting dryly that it really had been a while since he had seen her; just about two weeks. It had been a wonderful break away from the insufferable thing, but he supposed he did have his mission he still had to carry out. Couldn't exactly do that if he never saw her.

Then, as it just so happened, he rounded the corner leading to her quarters, and very nearly smacked into the Princess of Hyrule herself, who was donned in her riding gear and Champion's tunic, with the Sheikah Slate attached firmly to her hip.

Surprisingly, she looked almost relieved to see him, her features softening to something almost akin to a smile, "Oh good, you're here! We haven't a moment to lose."

Link followed quickly behind her, keeping his pace to match hers, so he was a few paces behind her at all times, "Where are we headed, Princess?" Link asked, even though he knew exactly where they were going.

"The Royal Ancient Lab to see Purah and Robbie," the Princess said over her shoulder, though she refused to meet his eyes, "They said that they made a discovery about how the Guardians work."

"I'll be sure to bring my shield, then," Link said, dryly, a sly look on his face, catching the Princess's eye.

"Oh, there will be no need for that," the Princess admonished, a small smile creeping on her face, "but feel free to bring it with you, if only to appease my father and to make you feel better. The Guardians are on our side."

They made their way out into the Hyrule Fields, to the ranch where their horses were kept. True to the knight's word – Bruce? Caboose? He felt like he was getting colder – their horses had been prepared for them, and with a swift squeeze on Storm's sides, the Princess was off in a gentle trot, off towards the northeast.

Link clicked his tongue, following behind the Princess on Epona. The Princess seemed to be in better spirits than she had been in a long time, especially with him. She made idle small talk, which was more than she had ever even attempted with him, and Link had to wonder briefly if she were sick.

Especially because she was heading the wrong way.

They were just outside of Castle Town, on the side nearest the cathedral, and though Link had never been to the Royal Ancient Lab before, he definitely knew that it was on the other side of the moat.

"Uh, Princess," Link called ahead, as the Princess just trotted away on Storm towards the Hyrule Forest Park, "Aren't we going the wrong way? The lab is towards the northwest, isn't it?"

"It is," the Princess affirmed, squeezing the sides of her horse to bring Storm up to a canter.

What the hell was the Princess up to?

He responded in retaliation to the Princess, bringing Epona up to a canter and bringing her side by side with Storm, "Princess, where are we going? The lab is back that way. Aren't Purah and Robbie expecting you?"

"Purah and Robbie aren't even here," the Princess responded, sparing him a glance backwards with a roguish look in her eyes, "They're back at the castle."

"But didn't you say that they were doing a Guardian experiment there? That they figured out how they work?"

"You should know as well as I do that Guardian experiments are done strictly at Hyrule Castle," the Princess said, her eyes shifting for a moment towards the castle, "And as for how they work, if you must know, they are powered by an ancient core, the inner mechanisms of that specifically being something that we are still studying. However, I found this out weeks ago."

"Then what are we doing out here on the opposite side of the moat?"

"Taking a break."

"Taking a _break?"_

"Precisely."

"I don't understand."

The Princess sighed, slowing her horse as she looked back towards the castle. They were stopped now, just on the outskirts of the Rauru Settlement, and the Princess turned to look at him, a glint in her eye, "In my childhood books, stories tell of the spirits of the forest, of the childlike Koroks that live within the Korok Forest. I know it's all myth and fairytale, but one of my tomes suggested a sighting of one of these creatures on the slopes of Eldin, above the Minshi Woods. I wanted to check it out."

Link was confused, "But then why tell everyone that we were heading to the Royal Ancient Lab?"

"It was the only way I could get out of the castle," the Princess said, "Father would never allow me to follow a lead on a whimsical and mythical creature, and though he does not think kindly on me tinkering with the Guardians and the Ancient Sheikah relics, he does permit it. My entire life is to be spent devoting myself to the Goddess, he says. It's enough to drive me mad. Sometimes, I just cannot stand to be in there any longer. It has always been told to me that the castle is a stronghold meant to keep the bad people out. What has never been told to me, but has always been made clear, is that it is also meant to keep Princesses in," she sighed, moving her horse into a slow trot, "Thus, I told father I was needed at the Royal Ancient Lab for a Guardian experiment."

"But… doesn't your father know that Guardian experiments are done strictly at Hyrule Castle?"

"I never said he was smart enough to put two and two together."

Ah, finally – something both he and the Princess could agree on.

At this, the Princess looked at him again, the mirth in her eyes overflowing as her lips turned upwards in a mischievous grin.

They moved onwards, and left their horses at the Woodland Stable. The excursion wouldn't take long, the Princess had promised him – just an afternoon atop the slopes beneath Death Mountain, and, by the Princess's calculations, where they were going, it wouldn't nearly be hot enough for their clothing to catch on fire, or for them to need any fireproof elixirs.

Oh, joy.

They travelled onwards, on an eastern trail above the Pico Pond. This trail, Link knew, was only marked on a map to a point, before the way became treacherous, littered with monsters and perilous slopes. From his memory, the trail was mainly comprised of Lizalfos, with the occasional Moblin or two – nothing to cause any worry over. He made sure to walk behind the Princess, lest she fall and begin to slide backwards.

That, and the view was not half bad, either.

He kept an eye out ahead for signs of any monsters, scouting for any threats. The Princess breathed in a heavy sigh, as they began their trek up the mountainside, the greenery of the pond turning into rocky outcroppings, "The past couple of weeks I have been stuck in vicious cycle, of not wanting to leave the comforts of my room but also wanting desperately for a change of scenery, "she confided, falling backwards so she could walk side by side with him, "I also wanted some privacy with you so that way I could properly apologize."

She was _apologizing?_ Two apologies in one day: first the Commander and now the Princess? How in the world did he get so lucky?

Link honestly had half a mind to tell the Princess to save her breath.

"Firstly, I wanted to thank you," the Princess began, "For saving me from the Yiga Clan. I did nothing to warrant or deserve that."

"I swore an oath to you," Link responded, and it was the truth, "I did nothing more than what was expected of me."

"Yes, but I have treated you so horridly," the Princess said, "I would like to formally apologize, for everything I have done to you, every way I have treated you. I had every intention of speaking to you and apologizing once we had arrived back to Hyrule Castle… but then… with my friend's execution…" her voice broke on the last word, turning her head away slightly. She looked up towards the sky, blinking back tears, as she continued, "I really just didn't want to see anyone. I really didn't want to do anything, as much as I desperately needed to get out of the castle.

"I know I haven't exactly made your role as my knight very easy," the Princess said, softly, "But I am sorry, and I hope that you can forgive me," the Princess said, her eyes twinkling, "What do you say?"

Then, the glint of a blade, and Link's instincts kicked in as he pushed Zelda out of the way, as a spear from a Lizalfo cut through the air, where she had been not a second prior.

The Master Sword was out in his hand before he even realized it. He was getting distracted, he thought, not having even noticed the loud, croaking noises, which gave away a Lizalfo's position. He kept the Princess behind him, his eyes darting around the canyon as he tried to spot any other lingering monsters. To his relief, he found that it was just this lone Lizalfo in the area, but he did not let that comfort him. Where there was one monster, there was always more.

The Lizalfo kept its distance, jumping from side to side, surveying its enemy. Lizalfos were more predictable than they thought they were, and as if on cue, the monster scurried forward, its spear tucked close as it prepared to strike.

The Lizalfo was dead on the ground in three swift strikes from the Master Sword, and a quick survey told him that the monster must have wandered off from his pack. For the time being, the coast was clear.

The Princess let go of the breath she had been holding, a small laugh bubbling out from her chest, "That monster just came out of nowhere, didn't he?"

"So long as his pack is just as predictable as him, we should be fine the rest of the way up."

The rest of the way up the mountainside was indeed met with the occasional Lizalfo. They were not strategic to be so far away from one another, but Link wasn't there to critique their battle strategies. He was there to protect the Princess.

What had his life come to?

Sure, they were technically agents of Calamity Ganon, and Link himself was an ally to them. However, these monsters were not intelligent, and did not distinguish between any regular Hylian and of the Yiga Clan, and so when it came down to succeeding in his mission and keeping his life, he didn't mind doing so with a flick of his wrist, and a bloodied blade.

A few Lizalfos later and a couple of nearly twisted ankles from the Princess, they made it to the top of the peak. They were venturing close to sunset now, and from their vantage point, had a spectacular view of Hyrule Castle on one side of the Hylia River, and of the Great Hyrule Forest on the other side, its cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

The Princess looked distraught, looking down at her Sheikah Slate and then back up towards the view, "These are the coordinates from my tome, but I don't see what we are supposed to be looking for," She looked down towards the ground, and for the first time that day, a sour look crossed her face, "Well, it looks like we weren't the only ones here. Look at these stones!"

Looking down, Link could see what the Princess was talking about. Various stones had been placed in a startling near perfect circle at the base of the peak, with all but two stones missing, "It looks as though some kids already made their way up here. They must have scared the spirits away, and then left in the middle of a game."

"What should we do now?" Link asked, eager to make his way back down the mountain. His palms itched, and the wind shifted, a foul scent on the breeze as the sun made its course down towards the horizon. Something didn't feel right to him, and he did not want to stick around to find out.

The Princess sighed, placing the Sheikah Slate back on her hip, "Well, there's no use in staying up here if what we're looking for is long gone. We should begin heading back…" Suddenly, her face drained of color, as her eyes blew wide open. To her left, Link could see what looked to be the shadow of a figure, with a bat held high above its head, "Link, look out!"

Link ducked at the last second, feeling the wind shift over his head as the bat swung around, its wielder screeching out a cry of anger. In the next second, Link had the Master Sword unsheathed and swung the blade upwards at a diagonal, cutting the red Bokoblin deep and sending it tumbling down the mountainside.

Looking up, the sight that beheld him made his blood run cold.

Three silver Lynels.

Three _fucking_ silver Lynels.

Amongst a hoard of red and blue Bokoblins.

"Princess," he said, lowly, as to not instigate the monsters ahead of him, "Don't make any sudden movements. Walk slowly to that boulder and hide behind it. If I whistle, I need you to run. Do you understand?"

"We should run _now_."

" _Do you understand?"_

From his peripheral vision, he saw her nod slowly, and begin to move carefully towards the rocky outcropping. The first of the three Lynels snorted loudly, tapping its hooves into the ground erratically.

Once Link was certain the Princess was hidden away as well as she could, Link slowly moved to unhook his Royal Bow from his back, and slowly began to nock a bomb arrow.

The Lynels were smart creatures, but the Bokoblins were not. He intended to be rid of them with as little effort as possible.

The first arrow flew and landed true, its bomb exploding brilliantly, sending red and blue Bokoblins flying. This got the Lynels angry, but he supposed that their anger was inevitable. Lynels were prone to anger quite quickly.

With that, Link sheathed his bow and ran in with the Master Sword, with the intention to keep the fight as far away from the Princess as possible. The three Lynels roared, shaking the mountainside with a similar ferocity as Death Mountain, before charging in towards the young Hylian.

Link feinted to the left, causing the first of the two Lynels to smack head first into one another, while diving underneath the third, slashing the underbelly of the beast. The Lynel roared, its hooves stomping erratically around Link, before he rolled out of the way and struck his sword up through the underside of the Lynel's chin and out through the top of its skull.

Before Link could pull the sword out from the massive beast's skull, the Lynel, in its dying breath, swiped out at Link with one of its massive claws. Link twisted to avoid being swiped at across the chest, but was not able to move out of the way to avoid a direct blow. The Lynel's claws scratched deeply across Link's right arm. White-hot pain flooded his senses as he was tugged forward like a ragdoll, as the attack finished its follow through.

With that, the Lynel collapsed in death, and before Link could look down to access the severity of the wound, Link bolted backwards into a backflip, the edge of a Savage Lynel Sword smashing into the ground where he stood not a second prior.

Link shook the pain off from his arm, assessing the situation. The Princess, as far as he knew, was still hiding behind the outcrop out of sight, and the Master Sword was still lodged in the skull of the first Lynel. Around him lay the carcasses of various Bokoblins of the red and blue variety, and in front of him, the two remaining Lynels stalked forward, considering their prey.

One silver Lynel was bad enough, but _three?_ Such a thing had never been heard of.

Link whipped out his bow again, knowing realistically that he wouldn't be able to make it over to his sword, and get it pulled out in one piece. He nocked an arrow, and ran, aiming backwards and pulling the bow taut, aiming straight for the face, and landing with a satisfying ping. He did the same for the second one, and was rewarded with two doubled over silver Lynels.

Revali could _never._

He grabbed the Master Sword and ran towards the closest Lynel, the one he had shot second and mounted himself onto its back, like he would an oversized horse. Something within the Lynel snapped and Link found himself being bucked violently around, holding onto its white, greasy mane for dear life. With the Master Sword in hand, Link gripped as tightly to the Lynel's back as he could with his legs, and plunged the blade down between the shoulder blades of the beast, before pulling it out and shoving it straight through the neck of the beast.

Two down, one to go.

There's an old saying in Hyrule that a Lynel's power comes from its level of anger, and Link was beginning to see the truth in that saying. The final Lynel, with its two brothers slayed amongst the deceased Bokoblins, roared with an intensity that left Link's ears ringing and bones ratting. The Lynel reared forward on all four legs and abruptly charged at him, its hooves smacking angrily into the ground.

Link had not the time to avoid this attack, and could only brace himself as the beast collided with him, sending him flying towards the side of the outcrop.

He smacked against the rock, feeling a giant bruise already beginning to form on his back, as he saw the Lynel stalk closer to where the Princess was hiding. He was inching awfully close to the Princess, and Link realized with a harrowing realization that the Lynel was privy to the Princess's location. From his vantage point, he could see the Princess desperately trying to lock eyes with him, unaware of how close the Lynel actually was to her. Link gasped as he pushed himself onto his feet, feeling his back and his arm protest from the movement. The Lynel had its Savage Lynel Sword rising up in the air, ready to swing down and strike true on the Princess.

Oh, the world just could not understand the effect _timing had_ when it came to an assassination, could it?

Link had only one option to stop the beast.

He charged the blasted thing.

With a war cry more akin to a shrill creature, Link ran towards the beast, the Master Sword lifted above him, stained in both the monster's blood and his own. He managed to parry the Savage Lynel Sword, but the beast had much more power and weight to him than Link could ever have. The Master Sword was knocked from his hand, out of reach, and suddenly, Link could feel the Lynel's hot breath as it loomed over him, the Savage Lynel Sword in its upwards swing, ready to come crashing down, down, down, until it sliced cleanly through Link's neck.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, and in the next second, Link reached into his quiver for an arrow – any arrow – and rolled forward to plunge the shaft of the arrow into the beast's heart.

His karma was going to catch up with him someday, but someday was not _that_ day. Link had somehow managed to grab a shock arrow. The beast shook as the arrow was lodged deeper and deeper, its Savage Lynel Sword clattering off to the side. In holding the arrow firmly to the beast's chest, Link could feel residual effects from the electric shock coursing through his veins, though he thought not to let go. Not until the beast was still and cold and _dead._

He had his wish in the next moment, as the beast teetered off towards the left, landing on the ground in a huge heap. Around him, lay the remains of the monsters, their black blood pooling and beginning to smell rotten.

Link looked to the left and saw the Princess staring at him with a bewildered look in her eye, before that bewildered look was overtaken with a smile.

That smile quickly turned to horror as Link saw the ground coming up to meet him at an alarming rate.

He must have blacked out for a moment, because when he opened his eyes next, he was in the arms of the Princess, being propped up to sit against a rock at the top of the hill. His ears rang and his limbs buzzed from the electricity, his back hurt and his arm stung from the gashes, but other than that, a quick survey of his body told him that he was fine, and he would live.

The Princess, however, did not seem to get the memo.

She was leaning over him, her index finger moving from side to side in front of his eyes, with instructions to follow it. She was holding up three fingers, asking him to tell her how many she was holding up.

He hadn't even hit his head, for the love of Ganon. None of that was going to help in this situation.

Link waved her insistent hands away and sat up, sitting down on the rocky outcropping and stretching out his bruising back. Really, the thing that gave him cause for worry was the gash on his arm, which was flowing freely, with bits of dirt and rock embedded into it.

"Oh, let me see," the Princess murmured, pulling out a handkerchief and her waterskin, dabbing the cloth before reaching towards his wrist. He hissed as she began dabbing at the wound, clearing away the blood and grime.

After a while, she put away the handkerchief and inspected the wound, "That cut doesn't look too bad, actually, and it looks to have stopped bleeding. You're fine for now," she sighed, looking up into his face, her haunted green irises imploring him, "But Link, what were you thinking? Taking on an entire encampment like that?"

"It's my duty to protect you," Link said, a wave of brashness overtaking him. Was the Princess really scolding him for protecting her?

"We should have ran," the Princess said, shaking her head, "You know, there's a fine line between courage and recklessness."

"Princess, we could have never outran those Lynels," Link admitted, "Lynels will stop at nothing until they get what they want. Our best bet was to stop and fight."

"Well, as brave as you are, that does not make you immortal," the Princess quickly admonished, turning her head towards the graveyard of monsters, "It seems that, not only is the frequency of these types of attacks on the rise… but the scale of beasts we are facing is intensifying as well. I'm no fighter, but I do know that three silver Lynels in one territory is completely unheard of."

Link nodded, the Princess having echoed his thoughts precisely.

"I fear that-" the Princess whispered, "I fear that this is an omen, which portends the return of Calamity Ganon."

She really was too clever for her own good, and Link realized with a perfectly schooled expression that that was exactly what was happening here. With Ganon's return being in just a couple months time, it would make sense that his agents amount would double, or even triple.

"And, if that's the case," the Princess stood up, dusting her pants off, "I'm ready to expect the worse. We'll need to make preparations as soon as possible."

With that, she reached her hand down, and Link grasped it, hauling himself up, and following the Princess down the hill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY! Wow, this chapter ended up being about 1,500 words longer than I had expected. But I really wanted to get the memory scene placed in this chapter.
> 
> I've been thinking long and hard about this chapter for a while. I hope the beginning made the impact I was hoping for. I wanted it to reflect and mirror the first chapter of this story. I wanted it to reflect the last line of chapter 9: that the lines between allegiance and treason were blurring. And at the end of the day, both the Yiga Clan and the Royal Family + Sheikah are two radical sides, that are not above using fear and violence to control its people. At the end of the day, the two warring parties are not so different from each other.
> 
> And Link, when I think about him Canon vs. my AU, I want the core traits about him to be the same. He is courageous, he is ambitious, he loves a good taste of justice being served. Just in my version of this story, he has all of those traits for all the wrong (or right) reasons.
> 
> As you can see, there is a bit of a budding friendship beginning to form between our lovely princess and our favorite assassin. With the execution of her handmaiden, we have effectively ended the first arc of the story and we are leading into the second arc. We are about halfway through with the memories now, which is really exciting. There's a lot of implied scenes coming up from the memories and diary entries, and I am so excited to share those with you all!
> 
> Also, I am keeping the memories in their intended order, as you can see, because it allows me to put in a KILLER subplot (you'll see next chapter).
> 
> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter, and I shall see you next Wednesday!


	11. Chapter 11

A week had passed since the incident in the rocky cliffs at the base of Death Mountain. Surprisingly, upon returning to Hyrule Castle, and submitting his report to the Commander, Link was not found with his arm twisted behind his back, with a demand to know what his intentions were. No, instead, he was met with the equivalent of a pat on the back for a job well done, and sent on his merry way.

The Commander's behavior was odd, he supposed, but not unwelcome, if he was completely honest. If the Commander wanted to choose now as a good time to stop giving him a hard time, so be it.

It would make his job a hell of a lot easier.

Normally, a cut from a Lynel was not something that Link would have worried about. He could tend to the wound himself, and probably do a better job at dressing it than the physicians at Hyrule Castle. However, upon returning to the castle, the Princess took it upon herself to all but march him straight to the infirmary to have his arm properly tended to. Rather than put up a fight, he let her, as he tuned out the exasperating tones of her voice as they walked down the echoing halls.

Indeed: normally, a cut from a Lynel was something Link wouldn't have given a second thought. Except now, even a week after the entire incident was over and done with, the cut on his arm still hadn't healed. In fact, it looked as though it had not made any progress healing whatsoever. The cuts were still raw, still red and angry, and stung with a pain not unbearable, but most certainly not pleasant. Link was sure to always keep the cuts covered by his bracer, to ensure that it was covered with that extra layer to minimize any jostling or unnecessary prodding.

His last encounter with a Lynel, where he did not come out unscathed, was just that on Shatterback Point, nearly a decade prior. The encounter had left the raised scar he now had on his leg, but it had healed in just two weeks time.

Of course, Mipha had been there to help expedite the healing process, but as far as Link was concerned, that wouldn't be necessary now: he did not need the assistance from a fish to recover from what could be viewed as a glorified scratch.

Yes, had Link been left to his own devices, and dressed and cleaned the wound himself, it would probably have been halfway healed by now. Instead, the physicians at Hyrule Castle had to go and muck it up.

The Princess, since the Yiga Clan encounter in the Gerudo Desert, was avoiding Link exponentially less, now. In fact, it seemed as though she was going out of her way to spend time with him; even _more_ time than which was required. She now was specifically requesting his presence in the library of Hyrule Castle, as she scoured over different books and tomes and scrolls, muttering to herself about something regarding the Ancient Sheikah.

Oh, it was positively _riveting._

However, no sooner than he began to nod off to the incessant cadence of her voice was the tome she was reading slammed shut in front of her, with an exasperated sigh escaping her parted lips.

"Don't get me wrong," the Princess said, "The Ancient Sheikah are absolutely fascinating, and the technology they have left behind for us to tinker with and to try to understand is absolutely priceless, but if I have to translate one more text in this stuffy library, cross referenced with its Old Hylian translation, I think my head will just about burst."

Oh, it would be absolutely splendid if it did, Link thought amusedly, however he kept his face neutral, and without missing a beat, said, "What should you have me do, Princess?"

"Distract me."

How?

"…How?"

"Tell me about yourself."

Oh, these were some shark-infested waters she was dragging him into. He had a feeling that telling her his allegiance to a certain organization would not be the best course of action to follow.

However, it was always easiest to stick to certain truths, when able, he supposed. He cleared his throat, "What would you like to know?"

"Honestly? Anything," the Princess said, "You seem to know about almost every aspect of my life now, being my appointed knight. I hardly know a thing about you, other than the fact that you knew Mipha from before you became a Champion."

"Growing up, I had spent my summers in Zora's Domain," and it was the truth, up until his tenth year.

"Where are you from?"

"Deya Village," also the truth.

"What did your mother and father do?"

Good grief, was this an interrogation now?

"My mother was a fisher, as is the primary export from Deya Village," Link said, "She took care of me and raised me growing up. My father was stationed as a soldier in some garrison out in Tabantha. I don't remember him much."

"You don't remember him?" The Princess asked, "Did you ever ask your mother about him?"

Of course he had, but his mother never liked to talk about him. He knew that his father spent most of his time working out in Tabantha, and would only be able to come home to Deya Village for a day or so, before being deployed out west again. He would send home rupees to help support the family. However, by the time Link had turned ten, the rupees had stopped coming, and his mother had grown ill.

As a child, Link had told his mother that he would take the trip out west, to find his father and find out what had happened. However, his mother had stopped him, saying with a tearful look in her eye that she would much rather have her boy at home with her. It was something that still puzzled Link even to this day. Wouldn't his mother rather have medicines and warm food, and her husband at her side?

But no: Link heeded his mother's wish. He watched at her bedside, as she grew more and more ill over the years, until she finally passed away just a few months before his fifteenth year. In those years prior to her death, Link had to grow up quicker than most children in the village, and he had to learn to provide for the two of them while watching other kids his own age playing in the murky waters of Deya.

His mother's death had sent him into a vicious downward spiral that had him angry, lost, and confused. He had prayed and prayed to the Goddess Hylia, and for what? More blood on her handkerchief? He had worked so hard, and had been able to successfully support his mother when she wasn't able to and his father wouldn't.

He had left Deya Village in a fit of rage in the night, with furniture displaced and dishware smashed in his childhood home. He had realized in that moment that he hated the Goddess Hylia, and though he didn't truly remember the man, hated his father as well: both faceless beings with empty promises.

The weeks following this had found him traversing the plains of Hyrule, wandering and roaming with no real goal in mind. He wasn't sure where he was going, nor did he quite care. Was he heading to Zora's Domain to seek comfort from a childhood friend? Maybe. Was he heading west to the Tabantha region to seek out his father? Perhaps. Whatever his intentions were in those weeks, they probably didn't matter. Those weeks, Link remembered, were blurry, and he was overwhelmed with the suffocating depression of being truly alone in the world.

It wasn't until he had stabbed that bitter old man on the road that the world finally focused and sharpened in clarity.

In hindsight, he hadn't meant to, but he had been starving, and the old man had some roasted apples by his fire that he had refused to share. Rationally, it was either kill or be killed, and though the old man had proved no threat to his wellbeing directly, his empty stomach had.

He had fallen asleep later that night under the trunk of a large billowing tree, as he huddled in on himself, struggling to keep warm. When he woke, he was in a place unfamiliar, with menacing stone walls and benevolent tapestries, surrounded by a mass of people wearing masks with an inverted Sheikah symbol. One of them, the strongest of them all, had stepped forward.

Master Kohga had him brought there to give him an offer that he just could not refuse.

Link blinked, and he was back with the Princess in the library, and he realized he had not yet answered her question. She had asked if he had ever asked his mother about his father. Her face was quizzical, and it was clear that he had taken a long time to answer, "I, uh… I did," Link muttered, "But she didn't like to talk about it."

"You and her both have that in common, it seems."

Link chose not to answer that.

The Princess sighed dramatically, leaning back in her chair with a slouch that was very much unbefitting of her title, but he supposed matched her personality flawlessly.

She then stood up abruptly, making her way towards a bookshelf on the lower level, her eyes skimming the faded letters of the old books, placed next to their newer counterparts. She stood there for a while, her eyes searching, until with a triumphant 'aha!', she plucked a book from the shelf and brought it over to their table.

"What is that?" Link asked, as the Princess opened its old, withered pages, for the first time in probably a decade.

"It's a census of all the major Hylian settlements from ten years back," the Princess replied, "I would like to find out more about this little village of Deya, since you don't seem very apt to tell me about you. Perhaps I can string together some theories and hypothesis about how you grew up. It might just be easier than having you outright tell me."

Was she really peeved with him that he did not want to tell her about the worst days of his life? Was she really that shallow to only think of herself, and to use his experiences as a catalyst for her own amusement?

"Finally, Deya Village!" The Princess whispered, "It just has a small snippet. There are only a couple of pages detailing Deya while every other village has an entire chapter. Why would that be?"

Did she not know her country at all? Deya was just a few shacks on top of a swamp, and while their main export was fishing, they paled in comparison to both Lurelin Village and Zora's Domain. It was a wonder that the Princess was even next in line to succeed the throne.

The Princess had paused, her eyes growing wide as her finger froze on the page. Well, certainly, she must have found what she was looking for. Then, they could move on from this nonsense, and Link could do something that was actually worth his time.

"Link," the Princess finally whispered, "Where did you say your father was stationed at?"

"Tabantha," Link replied, his neck craning and his eyes squinting to see what she was looking at.

The Princess let out a shaky breath, looking up at him with wide, green eyes, "Your father wasn't just a soldier, Link. He was a knight."

"A knight?" Link echoed distantly. A soldier or a knight, what did it matter? He had been young, and perhaps hadn't understood his father's rank. So what?

"And your father, he wasn't out in the Tabantha region," the Princess continued, "He was stationed here, in Central Hyrule, at the castle, and had been enlisted in the Royal Guard."

The room spun as her words sunk in. His father was of the Royal Guard? That couldn't be right. Hastily, and probably a bit too aggressively, Link grabbed the book from her hands and searched the text she had laid her finger on. Sure enough, the census detailed his mother's name, with her occupation being a fisher, and right above it was his father, listing him as a Knight of the Royal Guard.

Like father, like son.

He didn't know what to make of this information. He stared at the text, thinking that at any moment, the words would shift and the letters would spin and it would say 'Tabantha Garrison' or 'Soldier in the Hyrulean Royal Army'. However, none of the letters budged from their spot on the page, and the words 'Knight of the Royal Guard' were burned and etched into his mind's eye, till the words flashed in his vision every time he blinked.

His mother had always told him that his father was a soldier out in the Tabantha region. Why would she lie about this? Surely she knew, that her husband was enlisted in the Hyrulean Royal Guard. Why would there be a need to keep this a secret from him?

The Princess looked at him then, this time with a careful look in her eye.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

With that preamble, the Princess grabbed Link by the arm and hoisted him onto his feet. Link bit his tongue, schooling his face and trying not to hiss from the pain as the Princess dragged him from the library by his arm with the Lynel gash.

By the time they had made it to one of the doors, Link had managed to yank his arm back without causing too much pain, "Princess, where are we going?"

"We're going on a ride," the Princess replied, without looking over her shoulder, as she made her way down towards the gardens, "You got this blank look on your face back there, and quite honestly, looked as though you were going to pass out. I think some fresh air would do you some good."

Link had no fight in him to argue with the Princess. He wordlessly nodded, letting the Princess lead them outside and beyond Castle Town.

It was midday, the sun casting brilliant shadows from beyond the wispy clouds on the Hyrule Fields. The sun was bright – too bright – and Link was squinting in the sunlight as they made their way out to the ranch for their horses. As quickly as they had arrived, their horses had been meticulously prepared: a flash of blonde hair and the crest of the Royal Family had the Stable Master flying to prepare their horses, as they had given no notice.

A swift jump onto Storm, and the Princess was off in a mesmerizing gallop, towards the northwest.

They made excellent time, making it to the Royal Ancient Lab in just under a couple of hours. Though Link had been schooled on the major landmarks around Central Hyrule and all across the country during his time with both the Yiga Clan and as a Knight of the Royal Guard, he could not say that he had actually been to the Royal Ancient Lab in person. From the Princess's tower, the lab looked small, just a cluster of small buildings on the other side of the moat. However, in person, the structure was expansive: one main building with connecting labs via outdoor walkways. On the side facing the castle was a small greenhouse, cultivating various flowers.

One glance in saw a series of delicate blue flowers, withered and dying.

Someone should really take better care of those.

Link expected the Princess to climb down from her horse near the entrance to the main building; expected her to hand off her reins to him to tie up without so much as a glance back towards him. He expected for her to walk right inside the Royal Ancient Lab without so much as a knock or preamble, and to leave the invitation for him to come in behind him unspoken and undesired.

She did none of these things.

Instead, she kept her horse walking past the series of buildings, towards where an open greenery spanned for acres beyond the lab, where the hills rolled, blocking out the rest of Eastern Hyrule from view. From beyond the Elma Knolls, just the tops of the cherry blossom petals of the Great Hyrule Forest could be seen.

It really was quite picturesque, Link admitted, but he really could not understand what the Princess was doing.

"Princess," Link called out, "The lab is back that way."

"I'm well aware of that, thank you!"

"Isn't that what we came here for?"

"We came here for some fresh air," the Princess said, over her shoulder, "As lovely as the lab is, we did not come here for that."

The Princess sat down underneath a tree, facing away from the castle, and she motioned for Link to sit beside her. Link hesitated for a moment, sparing a glance towards the castle, towards where prying eyes may be watching. The last thing he needed were rumors of him alone with the Princess – with people searching the tree trunk for carved initials.

The Princess waved a hand towards the castle, her eyes fluttering in an eye roll, "Never mind the castle, O Chosen One. This is my favorite spot for a reason."

With that, Link crouched down beside her, resting his arm on one of his knees and facing the Princess.

"So," the Princess began, "What happened back there?"

Which part? The part where she was boring him to death with her Sheikah research or the part where he found out his father was of the Royal Guard?

"My father," Link said simply, "I… I didn't know."

"You didn't know your father was a Knight of the Royal Guard," it wasn't a question.

Link nodded wordlessly, shifting his eyes off towards the lab.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Talking about it was probably the last thing on his mind. Again, Link nodded wordlessly, fixating his eyes on a specific point on the wall.

"We don't have to talk about it," the Princess affirmed, "But if you ever do want to, or if you want to talk about anything else, you can always open up to me. We're friends, after all."

Friends? The Princess actually thought they were friends?

Well, with friends like these…

"I know it might not be easy," the Princess continued, "but I want for you to be able to trust me, and confide in me, if you would like. I would appreciate it very much if we could start on a clean slate, and start anew," the Princess stuck out her right hand, her eyes twinkling, "My name is Zelda, Guardian and Ancient Sheikah Relic Researcher, and Crown Princess of Hyrule."

And his name was Link, Hylian Champion, wielder of the Blade of Evil's Bane, Captain of the Royal Guard, and Lieutenant of the Yiga Clan, _tasked with the highly sensitive mission to assassinate the Princess of Hyrule in the light of the Blood Moon on the night of her seventeenth birthday._

He could have said any one of those things, but instead, he simply stuck out his right

hand, grasping hers in a firm handshake and said, "I'm Link."

The Princess giggled slightly, as she took back her hand from him, "Just Link?" She teased, poking at the Master Sword, "Surely you have your grand titles to introduce yourself to me with."

Link allowed himself to smile, pushing his bangs out of his face, "I think honorifics are overrated. All I need to be is just Link."

"Well then, _just Link,_ " the Princess smiled, looking out over the plains, "I would very much appreciate it then, if you would simply call me Zelda."

Thus, just Zelda and just Link spent the next couple of hours on the Irch Plain talking and laughing. Well, the Princess was laughing; Link's was more of a tight grimace if anything at all. Though Link could think of a million other things he would rather be doing than _getting to know_ the Princess of Hyrule – erhm – Zelda… he knew that it would only further his cause to gain her trust.

Which found him with a pleasantly neutral look on his face as Zelda took portraits on her Sheikah Slate of Goddess-damned _weeds._

"There's one!"

Dandelion; weed.

"Oh, and another!"

White clover; also a weed.

"The flowers we have in Hyrule aren't just beautiful…"

Yeah, because they're _weeds._

"…They're also quite useful as ingredients for a variety of things."

Like destroying a perfectly good landscape with their embellishments.

However, he kept all of these thoughts to himself as Zelda took pride in her portraits, looking down at her Sheikah Slate longingly. He would not ruin this newfound trust that the Princess found in him. If he wanted his best chance at success in his mission, he needed the Princess to confide in him.

Zelda grew quiet then, as she leaned down to investigate that Link saw to be the first real flower she took interest in that afternoon.

"This one here is called the Silent Princess," Zelda whispered, her fingers touching the sides of the petals lightly, "It's a rare, endangered species. We have been trying to get them to grow in the greenhouses here at the Royal Ancient Lab, yet despite our efforts, we can't get them to grow domestically yet. The Princess can only thrive out here, in the wild."

Link shifted forward, getting a better look at the flower, "Are these the same flowers that are withering back there?"

"They are," Zelda said, her voice growing softer, "We have been trying to grow them in high numbers with the intention to transplant them back in areas where they used to thrive, however… we simply have not been able to get them to grow while in confinement."

The Silent Princess seemed to be doing much better out in the plains, with its delicate, blue petals opening up towards the rays of the sun. It was the lone flower of its kind, however, and once it died, there would be no more Silent Princesses in the plain.

"All that we can hope…" Zelda whispered, her eyes growing distant, "is that the species will be strong enough to prosper on its own."

Were they still talking about flowers?

Not anymore, it seemed, as Zelda gasped and lunged forward into the grass, her arms outstretched, and Link was face to face with Royal Ass.

Well, he supposed there were worse things than that.

"Is that what I think it is?" Zelda whispered, before confirming her hypothesis and downright giggling, "Look at this!" She turned around to show him, her hands cupped together, a childish light glinting in her eye, "I don't believe it, but I actually caught one!"

"Caught what?" Link asked, as he looked from Zelda's hands to her face as she shimmied towards him.

"This delicacy is known to have very, very potent effects under the proper circumstances," her voice was absolutely trembling with excitement.

"Uh, Armoranth?" Link guessed, before biting his tongue.

If she made any sort of connection, she didn't voice it, and instead opened her hands with a "Ta-da!" like the bow on a present.

Her discovery made a 'ribbit'. It was a frog.

It was a Goddess-damned, run-of-the-mill, hot-footed frog.

And did Zelda really go as far as to call this a 'delicacy'?

He must have done well to hide his distaste on his face, for she continued, "Research from the castle shows ingesting one of these can actually augment certain abilities," Zelda was practically going cross eyed staring at the frog as it attempted to hop right out of her hands, "We wouldn't be in a controlled environment out here, but with your level of physical fitness… you'd be a perfect candidate for the study!"

A perfect _what_ now?

"Go on!" Zelda said, an impish look in her eye, and the frog practically jumped out of her hands and into his mouth. On instinct, Link reeled backwards, a noise of disgust coming form him.

"Taste it!"

* * *

To be perfectly clear, Link did _not_ taste the frog.

Willingly.

They made it back to Hyrule Castle as the sun lowered beneath the Gerudo Highlands, casting glimmering, magenta hues across the Hyrule Fields. They left their horses with the Stable Master at the ranch, Zelda expressing her desire to walk back to the castle amongst the plains. Link, on the other hand, would have much rather left his horse with a soldier or servant at the gate, to take back to the ranch. His body seemed stiff from all of the riding that day. It was bizarre, since they had not ridden much at all that day, nor did he really ever get sore from riding. A breeze blew in from the western mountains, chilling the air and sending a shiver down Link's back. Zelda seemed not to notice.

As they entered the castle, Zelda went straight to her quarters, biding him a good night. A guard was already stationed at her door, so then Link took that as his cue to take his leave, and began making his way down the corridor towards his quarters. He thought, perhaps, to skip supper and simply go straight to bed.

"Captain!"

He was never going to get a moment alone.

Link turned around, and saw that one of his knights was coming towards him at a brisk pace. Like all of his guard, Link didn't make a point to learn all of their names, and even if he tried to remember, his brain was too foggy to come up with any random name.

Link sighed, a headache beginning to form behind his eyes, "What is it?"

"Commander Impa wishes to see you immediately," the knight said, "She said she has a task for you from the King."

From the King? Well then, he knew he would have to make haste. Sleep would have to wait.

Link knew better than to ignore a message from his King.

Link made his way up towards the gatehouse and up the stairs to Commander Impa's study. There she was already seated with a missive unrolled in front of her, and a large map of Hyrule laid out. She looked up from her papers, and Link was taken aback by the lack of fire in the Commander's eyes. Actually, scratch that – there was always a certain level of fire in her eyes, but not in that same hatred-induced way that she had always regarded him in.

It was almost unnerving.

Commander Impa nodded towards the chair in front of her, "Have a seat," she said, her eyes drifting down towards the missive she had in front of her.

"You had a message for me?" Link asked, "From the King?"

"Indeed," the Commander muttered, taking the missive in front of her and handing it off to Link, who could not focus enough to read its contents. Luckily, he wouldn't need to, "The King expresses his concerns with his daughter having yet to awaken her ancient sealing powers," the Commander said, matter-of-fact, "His orders are for you to accompany the Princess to the three ancient springs, blessed by the three Goddesses. This ancient pilgrimage is a rite of passage for those wishing to receive the Goddess's blessing. The King hopes that by visiting and praying at the three springs, it will reveal something within the Princess."

"Very good," Link said, rubbing a hand on his face, "When does he want for us to leave?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"She won't like that it's such short notice," Link said, offhandedly, "but it shall be done."

"Good. I've notated the locations of these shrines on this map for you with the most efficient paths to each one. Be careful out there, as each of these three springs are amongst the wild, and there's no easy way to get to any of them."

"Do you really underestimate me?" Link said, as a joke, but he saw the Commander's eyes sharpen fractionally.

"I just may, because quite frankly, you look like shit right now. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," Link mumbled, though if he was honest, the room was spinning and the Commander's voice sounded muffled through his ears.

"If you say so," the Commander said, collecting the documents in her hands, "Get some sleep. You are of no use to the Princess being dead weight on your feet."

Link nodded, grabbing the documents from the Commander and standing up from his chair. He fully intended to go straight to his quarters to get some shuteye; to sleep off whatever nasty bug plagued him now. The Commander was right: he was of no use to the Princess being dead weight on his feet.

It was not a moment later, however, the room lurched violently around him. He staggered a bit, growing lightheaded and dizzy. If he could just right himself on his own two feet, then he could get himself to his quarters. Faintly, he heard the Commander's voice, but he could not decipher what she was saying over the ringing in his ears.

Link made a move for the door, but missed his mark and stumbled. Black spots covered his vision as he fell, and as he landed on the floor of the Commander's study, everything turned black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...omg can I classify this as a sickfic! now?
> 
> Damn it, I am not trying to write Zelink, but the hints of it are just HAPPENING. Think of this story as the La Croix of Zelink: it is a hint of a hint of a hint of Zelink. If I were to ever make a sequel to this (which honestly, I have been conceptualizing), there could be Zelink. But like, I'm not doing that thing in this story where they smoochy smoochy. I already got a lot of that content on my profile already written! I WANT TO WRITE SOCIOPATHIC ASSASSIN LINK BUT MY FINGERS KEEP TYPING THINGS LIKE "MESMERIZING" AND "ROYAL ASS".
> 
> Also, tiny little thing: I added like 200 words to Chapter 4 – specifically during the Champion's Ballad memory in the gazebo. It's at the very beginning of that scene if you wanna read it, but I just put Link and Daruk's backstory into it, since it completely slipped past me. My goal right now is to be 95% true to the memories and diaries, while still making my spin work. The 200 words are based entirely off of Daruk's Training Journal, so if you're familiar with that, it's nothing you don't already know!
> 
> Mipha's Diary… I just can't make it work with the world I've already established. And I'm far too married to this story to change anything to make it work. I'm leaving Link's tragic backstory to be just the way it is!
> 
> Let me know your thoughts in the reviews and comments below, and if you haven't already, be sure to press that favorite/follow button! Thanks for reading! See you next Wednesday for some whump!


	12. Chapter 12

Link's mind was swimming. Black spots swarmed his vision, flashing and burning every time he blinked. He must have blacked out briefly, for now he was slung over someone's shoulder, his arms and legs hanging limp and useless. Around him, the castle blurred and swam back into focus, as he heard the Commander's sharp voice barking out orders. Her voice sounded muffled, like he was trying to listen to her from under water. He could not understand what she said, though the tones in her voice betrayed her urgency and alarm.

He felt cold, as the cool winds from outside Hyrule Castle buffeted him, the pale blue glow from the moon casting everything in black and blue shadows. Then, he was back inside, the castle warmer a stark contrast to the outside world. Black and blue shadows were now replaced by red and gold blurs. The corridor itself was noticeably warmer, and yet Link could not stop himself from shivering.

He was barged into the infirmary, and instantly, was placed on a bed. Link was encircled by the shadows of the doctors and physicians. Their faces were blurry – blank – and he could not focus on them. It was all Link could do to focus on one spot high above on the ceiling, to avoid passing out again. Words like 'fever' and 'burning up' echoed around him, yet the words held little meaning as Link straddled the line between alert and unconscious.

His tunic was ripped open as cold, wet cloths were placed on his forehead, under his neck, under his armpits. A physician seemed to pause at his right arm, which was covered still in bandages from the Lynel attack in the cliffs of Death Mountain. It had been a week since the incident, and while Link had rewrapped the cut, fresh blood stained the bandage, as though the wound had been inflicted just that morning.

The smell of infection was poignant as the physician unwrapped the bandage, inspecting the tender wound. Link's head spun as he struggled to stay awake, his body shaking as it struggled to fight off the fever from the infection. He could hear the physicians speaking, though their voices eased in and out with his focus.

"…We cannot heal him, we have no way of healing a Lynel cut of this severity…"

"…I've never seen anything like this. A wound that won't heal? We'll need the Zora to look at this…"

"…Then we need to send for the Zora and have them come here."

"We don't have the luxury of time on our hands. By the time we send for the Zora and have them arrive here, he will have progressed too far along…"

"…Without a proper healer… he won't make it past the week."

"He is the Hero of Hyrule, he cannot die. Without him, all of Hyrule will fall at the hands of the Calamity."

"We need to make haste and send him to Zora's Domain…"

"…Send a Rito Courier up ahead to notify the Zora."

"What makes you think that he will survive the trip?"

"…He has to. It's the only way."

The way to Zora's Domain had been hazy, and Link slipped in and out of consciousness as the enclosed wagon he was being transferred in jostled him around. He was transported across the winding path along the Zora River, the twists and turns making him nauseous. Only vaguely did he realize that it must have been raining on the twisting path, as the sounds of a heavy storm bombarded the top and sides of the wagon.

There must have been some knights, or at least some soldiers, that made the trip with him, for at times in the journey, Link heard the sounds of steel clashing together, the sound of men grunting and crying out, the sounds of monsters screeching and lightning cackling.

They made it to Zora's Domain in record time, or Link was passed out for the majority of the trip. Perhaps it was a little of both. Before he knew it, he was being lifted out of the wagon and into the arms of Zora of various colorations, and being carried off with haste.

And then, there was Mipha.

Mipha's concerned expression filled his vision. Her lips were moving frantically, as she was speaking something urgently to him. His ears registered nothing, however, as all the sounds within the infirmary blended together in a chaotic symphony. He was gently lifted onto one of the beds in their infirmary and was surrounded by the fish people from all angles. Looking from left to right, they all seemed to do something different, either tending directly to his arm, or monitoring his fever, or checking to see if he was responsive.

Then, Mipha appeared at his right side again, with a determined expression on her face. One of the Zora stepped back to give her room and braced his arm, while another held his shoulders. Mipha breathed in and pressed her hands against his arm, glowing brilliant silver.

He had not expected the pain that had accompanied her healing abilities. It had not hurt ten years prior when she had healed his cut from the Lynel on Shatterback Point. Why did it hurt now? He supposed it could have had something to do with the fact that this wound had progressed and got infected. He supposed it could have had something to do with the fact that this wound had not even begun the healing process. He supposed it could have had something to do with the fact that the agents of Calamity Ganon were intensifying, and his immune system might not know how to combat an injury of that intensity.

These were the cold and hard facts and he held onto them as he steeled himself through the pain, before his vision went black.

The next few days found Link in a restless sleep as the infection ran its course. During its progression, he would waken to find himself alone, or with an unknown Zora, or worst of all, with Mipha at his side. She would either be tending to his arm, brushing his sweaty hair out of his face, or, when he was lucky, would be asleep at his bedside.

If he believed hard enough, he could attest this as all being the product of some fever dream.

He woke again some time later in the week. The infirmary was empty, and the moon shined brightly through the window to his right, illuminating the room in soft blues and silvers. Gingerly, he lifted himself up onto his elbows, cringing slightly at the dull ache coming from his right arm. Looking down, he saw it to be wrapped tightly in bandages, and expertly tied off on the end. His fever must have broke some time while he was out, for he no longer had wet cloths on his forehead and joints.

His shirt was missing, as were his pants, but a quick survey told him that they were on a table not far from his bed, with his boots and belts laid neatly below them. Upon careful inspection of his Champion's tunic, he saw that someone had meticulously stitched the front of it back together from when the physicians at Hyrule Castle had ripped it open. Someone must have taken great care with it, too, since the only way Link could tell that it had been sown back together was by looking very close at it, and with the knowledge that it had indeed been ripped.

He could attest that as not being the product of some fever dream.

He shrugged on his undershirt and tunic, and pulled his pants and boots on. He would thank the Zora for their hospitality, but he really needed to get back to Hyrule Castle. It was late in the night as he could tell, and he didn't mind taking the trip on foot, or at least until he could get to the nearest stable to rent out a horse. He needed to get out of here before a certain Zora Princess caught up to him.

"Master Link!"

For the love of Ganon, he was never going to get out of here.

He whirled on the fish, the domain spinning slightly as he focused. Perhaps he was not yet at one hundred percent. A tall, green Zora was running up to him, a webbed hand outstretched, as though he really thought that he could stop him from leaving.

"Master Link," the Zora beseeched, "Why are you out of bed? You have yet to have been cleared by our lead physician."

Well, if Mipha had it her way, the lead physician would never clear Link.

Link schooled his expression, taking in the look of the long and languid Zora. No doubt, he could outrun the trout, that much was certain, but the entire way back was along the Zora River, and no doubt could the fish man out swim him.

He would need to talk his way out of this one, "Good evening," Link said, "Or morning perhaps? Either way, I want to thank the Zora for their hospitality during my stay here, but I really do need to be getting back to Hyrule Castle. The Princess is set to go on an excursion soon, and I really must be there to accompany her."

"But Master Link," the fish protested, "Your arm – it has not finished healing yet. There were toxins found in your blood; toxins that we had never seen before. We need to make sure that you have completely healed before sending you back to the Princess."

"I can assure you, that -"

"Link."

Oh, no.

Mipha came from around the corner, as Link looked towards her. The beginnings of the suns rays were just glowing over Shatterback Point – it was morning, presumably. She glided over towards him as gentle as the rain, her face awash with varying degrees of relief and tenderness.

"It's good to see that you're finally awake," Mipha said, her eyes alight, "You've been so very sick the past few days… you're looking so much better. It's good that you arrived to us when you did. Any later, and we might have been too late."

Mipha took his right arm in her webbed hands. Something must have possessed Link, for he let her, as she slowly unwrapped the bandage on his arm. Link remained silent throughout all of this, as Mipha inspected his arm. In the early rays of dawn, the Zora began to set about their day, and very quickly were the two of them gaining an audience.

Mipha looked around the center of town, a thoughtful look on her face, "Link, do you feel well enough to walk?" Link nodded, "Let's go some place private, and we will get this all taken care of for you."

Mipha then took his hand in hers as she took him out of the center of the Domain. Link, surprisingly, let her, as he saw this as a means to an end. Perhaps once she healed him one last time, he would be let go to go back to Hyrule Castle.

How ironic now was it that the place of his childhood summers was now feeling much like his prison.

She took him across the western bridge in the Domain and up the winding stairs leading to the East Reservoir Lake. As they reached the top of the stairs, Link gasped as he saw the colossal Divine Beast Vah Ruta sitting expectantly near the docks, with its trunk lowered. Vah Ruta seemed to be larger than Rudania yet smaller than Naboris, and yet still towered over menacingly and ominously. Mipha pulled Link forward, a twinkle in her eye, towards her waiting Divine Beast.

Vah Ruta, much like Vah Naboris, seemed to move of its own accord. It made sense, seeing as how correspondence from Zelda suggested Mipha and Urbosa had the best handle on their beasts. As they approached, the trunk of the beast lowered, so that way it was level with the docks. They stepped onto the top of the trunk, and before Link was ready, the trunk was lifted higher and higher in the air. From here, they seemed to be higher than the peaks of Shatterback Point, though Link knew rationally that was unlikely. He could, however, see more of Hyrule from this vantage point, with Hyrule Castle being naught but a spec on the land.

The land seemed peaceful from up here, but Link supposed that peaceful was good: let the country fall into that false sense of security. It would only make Ganon's annihilation of them all the more satisfying.

Yes, it seemed Link was feeling _much_ better.

"I had wanted to bring you up here at sunset," Mipha confessed, not quite meeting his eyes, "The rays of dusk from the top of Vah Ruta are really quite splendid. However," she paused, looking out towards where the sun had just peaked over the horizon, "I suppose that the dawn is stunning in its own right."

Mipha motioned for Link to give her his arm, and he complied, placing it in her webbed hand wrist up. He braced himself for the pain to come from her healing powers, but was pleasantly surprised to find that he only felt a faint tingling coming from his wrist.

Even years later, her healing magic was quite spectacular, Link had to admit. The way the magic soothed and knitted the skin back together was something that Link would never get used to. In his tenure with the Yiga Clan, Link had wondered if their ancient magic could be used as a self-healing technique. However, such a thing had yet to be discovered, and the ability remained an exclusive to the Zora.

"I was thinking," Mipha broke the silence, looking up into his eyes, "This reminds me of the time we first met."

Link couldn't remember the exact first time that he had met her, so he opted for a, "How so?"

Mipha laughed lightly, "You were just a reckless child," she responded, "Just about four years of age when you first came to the Domain. Always getting yourself hurt at every turn. You were covered in bruises, even as a young boy. I remember how your face lit up when you first saw my healing magic. Every time you visited, I would heal you, just as I'm doing right now. I thought it was funny how, being a Hylian, you looked grown up so much faster than I did."

Yes, it was as though the Zora Princess was blissfully unaware in her enamor of him of the stark differences in the aging cycles of Hylians and the Zora.

"I was… I was always willing to heal your wounds, even back then."

Mipha was silent for a moment, as she figured out what words to use next. Link could practically see the wheels turning in her head, as she figured out how to put her thoughts into words.

"Link, I don't want for you to take this the wrong way," Mipha continued, "I know that you had mentioned that your mother had died, and I can only imagine the hurt and sorrow you had gone through. But Link, where did you go? Why did you run away from everyone?"

What could he tell her, the truth? Certainly, he could tell her that the last five years had found him enlisted with the Yiga Clan, worshipping a deity that helped him feel anger and hatred, which was better than nothing at all.

Mipha continued, "It was as though you had disappeared completely from the world. No one had heard from you, no one had seen you, and no one had known where you went. Bazz and the others, we even went as far as to go to Deya Village to see if you were still there. But your home – it had been destroyed. Furniture was broken, curtains were ripped. My first thought had been that you had been kidnapped and killed. Those thoughts haunted me until just this past year, when suddenly there you were, wielding the Master Sword."

"I'm sorry that I had worried you," Link whispered, yet on the inside, he was seething. His mother had died and throughout all of his anguish, Mipha was selfish enough to worry only about herself.

"It's not your fault," Mipha whispered, though Link could see in her eyes that it was not completely heartfelt, "I had just sent so many letters – and after a while, the courier refused to deliver them, saying that there was no one there named Link to accept the mail. Link, where did you go, if not back here to the Domain? We would have been there for you."

Stick to the truths. The last thing Link needed was to be caught red handed in a lie.

"I travelled the world," truth. As a grunt of the clan, he had been sent on field expeditions early on in his career. More than once, did he see someone from his past that would have been sure to recognize him, but with a flick of his wrist and a little ancient magic, he was deemed unrecognizable, and his past would walk right past him.

"But where did you go?" Mipha pressed.

Now Link was getting angry, "Hebra, Gerudo, Akkala – you name it."

"But not Lanayru?"

"Excuse me for not wanting to be confronted by my past," Link snapped, retracting his arm like she had burned him and not soothed him, "and excuse me for not wanting to see the one person that could have healed my mother."

It was a low blow, and he knew it, but he didn't care. Mipha's eyes grew wide as she lifted her hand up, the glowing dying down.

"Link…" Mipha whispered, her voice harsh even in its delicate tones, "If I could have done anything for your mother, I would have. But there was nothing that I could have done, and you know this!"

A webbed hand clamped over her mouth, as the words spilled out of her before she could stop herself.

"That was insensitive of me," Mipha whispered, her voice urgent and pleading, "It wasn't my place to say that, I'm sorry."

Link sighed, giving his wrist back to Mipha in a sort of offering, "I know it's not your fault, Mipha. My mother's sickness was something that had to ride its course. Either she would get better on her own, or she wouldn't: and clearly, she didn't. But let me be clear about one thing. I'm not the same person you knew growing up. My mother's death changed me. I needed a change of scenery, and I did not want to be confronted by anything from my past, whether related to her or not."

Mipha resumed healing, her eyes flickering up towards his, "It was just bizarre to me, how for five years, no one had even caught wind of you, and then right as our efforts to eradicate Calamity Ganon reach its peak, you reappeared, all of a sudden, wielding the Master Sword."

Warning bells went off in Link's head. It was almost as though she was about to connect the dots about his past. All she needed was the last piece of the puzzle, his allegiance with a certain organization. Luckily, however, she posed little threat to him. So long as she didn't mention what she knew to a certain Commander of the Hyrulean Royal Army, he would be just fine.

He played it cool, as he said, "Well, Hyrule needed a hero, so I took a stab at the blade."

Mipha giggled at his bad joke, her eyes casting downwards towards his arm. The wound closed up then, with only a small, raised white scar as proof that he had ever been injured. Link turned his wrist over, flexing his grip. Not even a bit of residual pain was leftover.

Mipha looked back up at him then, her eyes twinkling, "So if this Calamity Ganon does, in fact, return, what can we really do?"

They could all cast their allegiance towards their new Demon King and hope and pray that he would show some leniency and preference towards them.

"We just don't seem to know much about what we'll be up against," Mipha continued, shaking her head and looking out towards the Domain.

"The only thing that we can do is prepare the best that we can," Link replied vaguely, as Mipha nodded.

"But know this," Mipha said, "that no matter how difficult this battle may get… if you… if anyone ever tries to do you harm… then I will heal you. No matter when, or how bad the wound… I hope you know… that I will always protect you."

Link had his face in perfect neutrality as his insides churned. This was about as close as this timid trout was going to get to a love confession, wasn't it? Luckily for him, it didn't seem that she was going to have the guts to actually say the words or demand an answer from him. She was absolutely shaking, with her hands folded in her lap, struggling to keep still.

"Once this whole thing is over," Mipha continued, and Link's stomach dropped, "Maybe things could go back to how they used to be when we were young."

Well, if only that were the case, but as far as he knew, there was no way for Link to ever bring his mother back to him.

"You know… perhaps we could spend some time together," Mipha said, and she looked at him with those eyes that she had used on him when he was just a child, and quite honest, in hindsight it was just as creepy now as it was then.

Link sighed, brushing his hair back from his face, "As much as I would like that, I think for the time being, our efforts need to be focused on the threat at large. There are too many unknowns that go along with the return of Calamity Ganon."

"But… perhaps after?" Mipha pressed, with a hopelessly hopeful look in her eyes.

If he told her yes, just to get her off of his case, she would hold onto those words and that promise until her dying breath.

Which, he could arrange.

And yet, the last thing that he wanted to deal with was a vile thing clinging to him that he would have to shake off like a serpent.

If he told her no, however… it would absolutely break her. And while Link truly didn't care about the trout's feelings, he still held pause in retrospect of his past friendship with her, no matter how distant their childhood felt.

Link sighed, looking into Mipha's eyes for the first time that morning, "Perhaps," he settled on, "You said it best yourself: we just don't know what we'll be up against when Ganon makes his return. Let's talk about this again once all of this is said and done."

Mipha nodded, a large smile encompassing her face, "Very well. I will hold you to that promise."

Should everything go according to plan, once all this was said and done, she would not be alive to hold him to _anything._

The Divine Beast Vah Ruta lowered soon after that, and Link was led towards his members of the Royal Guard who had taken the trip with him to Zora's Domain. The first of the two had his arm in a sling, and the second of the two had a gash on her temple: apparently, the two of them had received moderate injuries from the Lizalfos on the path to the domain along the Zora River. It was made clear to Link that two of his guard – two of his _knights_ in the Royal Guard – could not adequately hold their own against a few meager Lizalfos wielding Lizal Spears and perhaps the occasional Shock Arrow.

Link made a mental note to increase his guard's training. It only looked bad on him that his guard was incompetent.

The trip back to Hyrule Castle was to take two and a half days with the wagon. Luckily, there had not been a Blood Moon since he was taken to the domain, and so all of the monsters that had been dispatched along the path had not been revived. However, the journey was slow, and his two guards droned on and on about stories and tales that held absolutely zero interest to Link. It was a special kind of torture. What had he possibly done to deserve this?

There was a small stable at the crossroads of Lanayru: between the way to the domain and the way north, to Akkala and Eldin. Link hastily bid his goodbyes to the two members of his guard at this stable and rented out a horse. Once back to the castle, he could send a servant back to the small stable to return the horse. It was short and stocky – it wouldn't be able to sprint for very long – but it would get the job done.

Anything to get away from the insufferable tones of those two guards.

He spurred the horse onwards, and went off in a lackluster and anticlimactic gallop towards the east, moving onwards past Goponga Village, and into Central Hyrule. The trip back would cut down at least half a day on the journey.

As Link crossed the Thims Bridge, he was met with a lone traveler on the side of the road, his torch illuminating a small radius around him. Link slowed his horse considerably, making eye contact with the traveler. The man said nothing, as Link passed, his eyes bearing into him, as though there were a question sitting on his tongue, unasked and unanswered.

It was not until Link saw the glint of the Vicious Sickle poking out of the bottom of the traveler's jacket that his suspicions were confirmed that he was of his clan. The Foot Soldier had half a mind to let him pass, which was more than Link would have thought, but he still felt a sort of displaced animosity towards the soldier – as though he were staring back at the three Yiga Foot Soldier's in the Gerudo Desert.

It was twilight as Link brought the horse into a slow trot into Castle Town. Link handed off the reins to the horse to a servant boy with a silver rupee, and made his way back into the castle. Truth be told, it felt good to be back: back to the castle, back to his routine.

Back to waiting for his cue to strike down the Princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, can I just say, so many of you thought that Link had passed out from the FROG! Oh, I just laughed and laughed reading those comments and reviews! I suppose that could happen, it's possible that the Goddess-damned, run of the mill, hot-footed frog could be infected with some sort of disease. Oh, but anyways. It was the Lynel gash. Poor chap.
> 
> I didn't mean to stomp all over Mipha in this chapter – it just kind of happened, and I'm blaming Link for the entire narrative anyways.
> 
> I'm going to use this whole global pandemic and the fact that I am currently self quarantined to try and get a jump on some more chapters for this and Malice. I just finished Chapter 14 of this last night, and for a while, I was a good 4 chapters ahead of the updates, but I've fallen a bit behind. But also, there's only six chapters left to write now! Crazy!
> 
> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! I've got some more Link backstory for you all next chapter (I LOVE the next chapter), and then Chapter 14, there's a twist at the end that I had never even planned, I just started writing it and WHOOP there it is. I'm excited to share it all with you!
> 
> Stay safe, wash yer hands, and be your best introverted self! See you all next Wednesday!


	13. Chapter 13

Following Link's return to Hyrule Castle, he was given precisely one day to gather himself and to follow up on his Royal Guard before he was sent out again with the Princess on her excursion to the first of the three springs.

Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, the fever and infection had weakened him, and he found that he did not have the same strength he had once had prior. He was still strong, of course – far stronger than anyone in the castle, no doubt – but he found himself gasping for breath more, needing to rest more. That, in itself, was absolutely unacceptable, and something that he strove to hide from the rest of the world.

Especially the Princess.

Prior to their departure to the south – their first stop was the Spring of Courage nestled deep within the Faron region – Link did some digging in the castle libraries. He wanted to find out more about his father: about his time in the Royal Guard and perhaps why his mother sought to keep that information secret from him. During his studies, Link was not able to find out any information about the latter, but did find some interesting information about the former: during his father's tenure with the Royal Guard, he was specifically listed as part of the Queen of Hyrule's Royal Guard detail. As it just so happened, his father had died heroically, defending the Queen until his dying breath, during the Yiga Clan's successful assassination of her.

The irony was not lost on Link.

With one less thing to worry about, one more loose end tied, Link felt exponentially better about knowing his father was of the Royal Guard. He had known, without a doubt, that his father was at least no longer a part of the Royal Guard, but to know now that he was dead, and could not get in Link's way during his mission, was all the more satisfying.

Still, it made Link wonder how his mother had lied so easily to him, stating that his father was a soldier at the Tabantha Garrison. She must have known the truth, for she was his wife, and it was listed in the census of that region that he was of the Royal Guard. Why would they both keep that information from him? Why would they keep it a secret? Link's only guess was that because his father was listed as a part of the Queen's guard detail, he had to keep it confidential. Perhaps the census had been released after his death.

That being said, Link would never know the truth, as the truth had died alongside both his mother and his wretched father.

He felt not a drop of remorse towards the man, for had he truly cared about his mother and himself, he would have had his will in order prior to his death, and would have found a way to make sure that his mother had been cared for. As it was, it had not been, and no care or stipend from the monarchy had come their way.

As it was, Link had more important things to worry about.

It wasn't until he and the Princess had departed from the ranch on the Hyrule Fields that he was made privy to her intentions.

"I think I should like to visit Deya Village on our way down to the Spring of Courage."

Had Link been walking instead of on the back of Epona, he would have surely come to a dead stop, as his brain struggled to come up with a feasible reason why they couldn't stop in Deya. He had not been back to his hometown in the light of day in over five years. He had not spoken to any of his neighbors since his mother's passing. Though it had been half a decade, a lone trip in the shadows of the night had confirmed the rumors: his childhood home was exactly as he had left it, all the way down to the broken tea cup next to the kitchen kettle.

The children of the town, the ones who hadn't known him, even went so far as to call the old shack on the corner haunted, as their parents warned them not to go inside, or go snooping around. They told the tale of a young man who loved his mother very much, but not enough to save her. The older children, the ones that were still young when he had known him, only egged on these rumors. They had to have some way to entertain themselves.

It wouldn't do well for Link to reappear five years later, having not made any point to contact anyone in his hometown, especially with the goddess-damned Princess of Hyrule at his side. He had no doubt that the gossips of his town had put two and two together that Link, the Hylian Champion, was the very same Link that fled in the night five years prior. They would ask questions, trying to fill in the five-year gap, and he couldn't have anyone asking questions that could arouse suspicion.

No, it was simply better if he and the Princess steered clear of the town altogether.

Link cleared his throat, as he pulled Epona up to Storm, "Princess, if I may-"

"I thought I made it perfectly clear I would prefer you to refer to me by my name."

Right, how could he have forgotten? She wouldn't let him forget, "My apologies, uh, Zelda," Link began, "But Deya Village is out of our way. We would need to go _past_ the Bridge of Hylia, and we haven't got a moment to spare. Your father is expecting you back at the castle in three days time."

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of the time limit my father gave me where I can be free outside of the castle walls," Zelda admonished, "But it shouldn't take any more than half a day to visit Deya, and if we ride through the night, we can make it to the spring by morning."

"I don't think it would be in your best interests to ride through the night just to visit some village of ill-kept shacks on top of a swamp."

"On the contrary, I do think it would be in my best interests to visit my people. _And_ the hometown of my very own appointed knight."

Link sighed, bringing Epona up to speed with Storm once again, who had trotted ahead of him, "I really must stand my ground on this-"

"Tell me," Zelda pulled on Storm's reins, stopping her abruptly. The horse whinnied in protest, "Tell me why you are so adamant about staying clear of Deya Village. There's something you're not telling me. What could be so bad that you would go so far as to defy me, your Princess?"

Link closed his eyes, bracing himself for what was yet to come. What could he say that wouldn't come around to bite him later on?

Stick to the truths.

"I haven't been back to my hometown since my mother died five years ago," Link said, as they continued their way south at a slow walk, "It's been too painful for me to even come close to Deya Village, and so, I've stayed away."

"Oh…" Zelda whispered, any hint of frustration melting away, "Oh Link, I'm so sorry; how could I have forgotten?"

"It's quite alright," Link muttered, turning away, "It's just been a while since I've been home."

"Five years…" Zelda implored, "That's such a long time to be away from home."

"Aye," Link said, leaving it at that.

"I have to wonder," Zelda said, "Where did you go for those five years if you weren't at home or in the army?"

She couldn't just leave well enough alone, could she?

These were the questions he wanted the gossips to avoid asking. They might be able to connect the dots, but with it just being he and the Princess, Link felt comfortable in keeping her suspicions far from a certain organization.

Again, he chose to stick to certain truths, "I travelled the world," Link replied, which was true, as a grunt of the Yiga Clan, "I couldn't bear to go back. It's been five years, and yet the wounds are still fresh."

"A feeling I know too well," Zelda said, "Father always praised me for being so strong after my mother's death, but… you know, I was only six, when it had happened. And all of a sudden, I had the weight of the world put on my shoulders. I was and still am expected to unlock this sacred power on my own… I just shut down. In public, I never cried, but when finally alone in my room, and all my maids had left me… I could finally grieve for her."

It really was incredible how the women in his life always seemed to make his mother's death about them.

"We don't have to go into Deya Village," Zelda said, softly, "But I would very much like to still see the village, if from a distance, if that's okay. Just to get a feel for what your hometown might have been like."

As a Lieutenant of the Yiga Clan, Link knew better than to compromise with the enemy. However, against his better judgment, he found himself nodding, as he steered Epona and Storm off towards the east, across the Proxim Bridge.

A large tree was situated on the hills between Deya Village and the Hylia River. It was a place Link frequented as a small child, and a place where he and his mother spent picnics away from the hustle and bustle of their small village. Just the two of them; all they had needed was each other. It was also the last place he had seen his mother alive: her dying wish had been to lie under that same oak tree: _their_ oak tree.

Most people would overlook his mother's grave. A small stone served as the headstone, to the right of the guardian deities. Since her death, small purple and white weeds had popped up over her grave.

Link fucking hated weeds.

It was cloudy as they made their way up to the tree. Link helped Zelda down from her horse and went to tie off the two horses behind the tree. While it would take a while for the villagers to notice two small Hylians under the tree, their horses were large, and Zelda's pristine white stallion was a dead giveaway. Link could not afford to have the villagers become curious.

Zelda sat down under the large oak tree, gazing out over the village. From their vantage point, they could clearly see the hustle and bustle of the village, as everyone went about their day. It was no Castle Town by any means, but still – the villagers got by just fine.

It was home.

Link recognized some of the people from their spot under the tree. He saw the blacksmith, working hard at his forge. It was from him that he had received his first sword. He saw the baker closing up her stand in the middle of the market, due to the inclement weather. It was from her that he had received a loaf of bread, a sort of pitiful offering after his mother's passing. All of the children had grown older and the ones his age had most certainly moved on from their small village. People would have been born and people would have died. Such is the way of life.

Link pulled out a couple packages of sticky rice balls prepared by the castle kitchens earlier that day. It was to last them until they at least got to the Spring of Courage, where Link would have the time to scavenge and forage while the Princess was praying. He handed a serving to the Princess, wordlessly, as they looked out over the village.

"You seem peaceful," Zelda observed, popping a rice ball in her mouth.

"My mother and I used to come up here all the time when I was younger," Link said, "This was our spot, away from the rest of the world. It's where my favorite and worst memories take place."

"Worst?" Zelda asked, her eyes lifting suddenly from her rice balls, the green orbs wide with concern.

Link gestured noncommittally towards his mother's grave, "I watched my mother die up here, on a beautiful spring day. It doesn't make sense, to this day, how the world could be so lovely on the worst day of my life. I buried her right over there, where those weeds have sprung up."

Zelda immediately stood up, wiping the dirt from her pants, "Link I'm so sorry," she looked positively mortified, "If I had known, I wouldn't have sat down-"

Link laughed, gesturing back towards the tree, "Relax. I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't expect you to sit down. I suppose this is the closest thing to my mother meeting Royalty. She used to always talk about wanting to meet the Queen."

It was morbid of him to say, he knew, but the bitch was so curious about his childhood, that maybe this would be the catalyst to get her to stop.

"Is that why you're always so silent?" Zelda asked, picking up one of her rice balls, "Why you never really open up about yourself?"

Link shrugged, "Not really."

"Is it about your mother?"

Link shrugged again, "It's not really my mother."

Zelda pursed her lips, "If, not your mother, then what? It always seems like you have something to hide," then, in jest, her eyes crinkling in mirth, "What secrets does our great hero hold?"

Stick to the truth as much as possible.

Link smiled then, looking towards her with an unintended sharpness to his eyes, "Well, if I told you that, then I'd have to kill you."

She stared back at him for a long five seconds.

Too truthful?

Luck was on his side then, as Zelda began giggling, pushing at his shoulder lightly, looking back towards the village.

"No, but really," Zelda said, "Why is it that you are always so quiet?"

Link let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, and fabricated something out of thin air, "It's this whole 'defeat Ganon' thing. You know, I never asked to be the Hylian Champion," truth, "I never asked to pull that sword from the stone," also the truth, "and it's not easy to be the Hero wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness. I feel that with so much at stake, and with so many eyes upon me, I feel it necessary to stay strong and silently bear any burden. My goal is to be as strong as I can be so that way when the time comes, and Ganon returns, I can do what I have to do. I can't mess up. I cannot fail," undeniably true: he could not fail.

Zelda smiled, then, her eyes sad, as she moved her hand to place on top of his, "It seems we are one and the same, you and I."

The next hour went by peacefully, as Zelda pointed towards the little village and asked Link questions. For the most part, Link answered truthfully. Most of the answers he had were from before his time with the Yiga Clan, so it was relatively safe waters for him to tread.

And then, just as they were about to head out towards the springs, the universe must have said no, for the skies opened up and began pouring around them. Instinctually, Zelda huddled even closer to the tree as small water droplets began to fall around her, cold and saturated with the promise of a strong storm.

Link sighed, looking off towards the east, where the storm was blowing in. It didn't look as though the storm was going to let up for a while. They should have left before the storm hit.

He looked towards the south, seeing similar storm clouds over the Faron region across Lake Hylia. Perhaps it wouldn't have made a difference.

Rather than waste his time sitting around, Link pulled the Master Sword off of his back, tossing his scabbard and baldric off towards the tree. He began running through various drills, with the intention to sharpen his skills to where they were prior to the Lynel infection. He had grown slow and sloppy since then. There was no room for error.

He was about fifteen minutes into his drills when the Princess's incessant voice whispered through the air, "I doubt this will let up anytime soon."

Link ignored her, swinging the Master Sword around, letting out a small huff in exertion.

"Even without knowing, your path seems to mirror your father's. You've dedicated yourself to becoming a knight as well," Zelda said, "Father says that you are one of the finest he's ever seen in the Royal Guard, and knowing that your father was of the Royal Guard as well, it only solidifies that…"

The only reason he was part of the guard was because it was essential to his mission. Nothing more, nothing less. In no way did he join in the guard to unknowingly 'follow' in his father's footsteps.

"Your commitment to the training necessary to fulfill your goal is really quite admirable. I believe that your mother and father would be quite proud."

Honestly? Link didn't give a rat's ass about whether or not his father was proud of him.

Her eyes were earnest though, a small, sad smile on her face, "I can see now why you would be the chosen one."

There she went on about the 'chosen one' again. As though a sword could possibly have the autonomy to 'choose' a wielder, a _hero._ It was just a sword, an exceptional sword if that, and in no way would it solidify him, or anyone, as a hero chosen by the Goddess.

He turned around towards her, only to see her gazing off towards his mother's grave, a sad look on her face.

"What if," she began, "one day… you realized that you just weren't meant to be a fighter. Yet the only thing people ever said… was that you were born into a family of the Royal Guard, and so no matter what you thought, you had to become a knight: in light of your father having been one as well. If that was the only thing you were ever told… I wonder, then… would you have chosen a different path?"

"I only found out that I was born into a family of the Royal Guard just last week," Link said, sticking the tip of his sword into the ground.

"Well, hypothetically. What would you have done?"

"A different path," Link echoed, taking a step towards her, "I can't say that I would have. You've told me yourself… this is a ten thousand year old prophecy. I think I am exactly where I'm supposed to be. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You wouldn't?" Zelda whispered, looking up from the ground.

Oh sweet baby Ganon, she was crying now. Good grief…

"No, I wouldn't," Link said, tossing the Master Sword off to the side, "I think the only thing I might change is if I were able to keep my mother alive. But there's nothing to do about that now," he sat down next to the Princess under the tree. He reached into his pocket, handing her his handkerchief wordlessly.

"Sorry," Zelda whispered, "I don't mean to cry, it's just… you know, I wonder what might have happened if I hadn't been born a Princess. If I had been able to choose my fate."

Link, against his better judgment, took the bait, "What would you want to do?"

"I very much enjoy the ancient Sheikah relics," Zelda said, instantly, and Link had a sneaking suspicion that this had been something she had thought on for a while, "If I could choose a different path, I would want to be a scholar and researcher, perhaps creating my own ancient lab outside of Central Hyrule – perhaps out east or to the north. I would love to be able to study them on my own timetable, with no agenda and no rush."

"Perhaps we can take a look at the Sheikah relics and Guardians once we get back to the castle," Link offered, as a way to satisfy her and shut her up.

Zelda lit up at this, "Oh I would absolutely love that! I look forward to it!"

Good grief, did he just volunteer himself to tinker with the Sheikah relics and Guardians with her?

He instinctually reached for his shield.

The rain was beginning to lighten up, enough so that they would be able to continue their journey down to the Spring of Courage. Prior to their departure, Link knelt before his mother's grave, closing his eyes and placing his hand on the small stone, willing himself to remember her laugh, her face, her smile. As the years passed, the small details began to fade away, more and more until all he was left with was a fleeting memory, and an everlasting desperation to see her one last time.

He couldn't help but miss her.

As they made their way back towards the Proxim Bridge, Link looked back towards his hometown – towards Deya Village. The town had quieted down since the rain had started, but people were beginning to get back to work. He accidentally made eye contact with one of them, and though they were far away, he could see the villager squint at him, almost in recognition.

Link turned back around and spurred his horse on, keeping his speed with the Princess.

* * *

If there was one thing Link was learning about the Princess, it was that she held not a single drop of the blood of the Goddess in her.

Their excursion to the Spring of Courage had been fruitless, and that was putting it lightly. After dispatching of the monsters in the area, Link and Zelda had arrived at the spring. The spring was in a state of disrepair, being thousands upon thousands of years old. The old scriptures stated that the Golden Goddess Farore had blessed this place herself.

But of course, that was all myth and legend, not truth and fact.

The Princess had stepped into the spring with a sense of familiarity Link had not expected from her. She had changed into a prayer gown while Link stood outside keeping watch, and when he came back in, he was overwhelmed with the sight off far too much skin showing on the Princess's shoulders.

He had quickly turned around at that, deeply imbedding the tip of the Master Sword into the ancient stones and kept watch.

The Princess prayed silently for hours on end. She had explained that there was an ancient ritual tied with the pilgrimage to the three springs. Each ritual was unique in its own right, and required hours of focused prayer.

Link was certainly in for a long night.

After the first two hours, Link felt it safe to go ahead and forage for food, knowing full well that he had killed every last Lizalfo and Moblin in the area, and knowing that this place was completely abandoned of Hylians. When he came back, the Princess was in the same position as before, not having moved a mere inch since he had last seen her. She knelt waist deep in the waters before the statue, her hands held together in firm prayer, her eyes closed, and tilted up towards the benevolent eyes of the Goddess statue.

He stood guard for another hour, his ears twitching as he listened to the sounds of the wild around him. He would hear a bird here, a squirrel there, but from inside the covered area of the Spring of Courage, the sounds seemed muted, as he listened to the waters gently rustling against the stones. It was almost peaceful, as though there were a blanket of tranquility covering the place.

As though this place were, in fact, blessed by the Goddess.

Though, he supposed, if it were, the Princess would have yielded better results. As it was, she had not, and in the fourth hour, he stepped off to the side to begin preparing a fire for the Princess. Still, she did not move from her spot in the water, and Link had to wonder if she had fallen asleep as she knelt. The only sign that she had not was the firm look of concentration on her face, her eyebrows furrowed together, her eyes clenched shut, her pressed hands shaking.

It wasn't until nightfall that the Princess had finally emerged from the waters, her eyes opening, revealing tired, worn out orbs. She changed behind a corner of the walls, and Link took that as his cue to begin preparing a dinner of Hylian Shrooms and bird meat.

Their meal had been silent, and the Princess retired early for the night, whispering to herself about 'trying again tomorrow'. However, the next day proved similar results, and Link felt an odd sense of satisfaction, knowing that the Princess held no connection to the divine heavens whatsoever.

Twilight was approaching, and Link was nearing the end of his patience. Just how long could someone pray to the sounds of crickets and cicadas before they threw in the towel and gave it a rest?

They were expected back to Hyrule Castle that night, and so without any preamble, Link turned around, facing the Princess in the small spring.

"Zelda," Link said, his voice carrying across the spring, "The sun is beginning to lower in the sky. We are to make it back to Hyrule Castle by dusk. We must leave soon."

Wordlessly, Zelda nodded, standing and turning around back towards the entrance to the spring, grabbing her soaked dress in her hands up and away from her feet.

"I didn't hear anything," Zelda whispered, as she stepped out of the waters, "I prayed and prayed for hours, and yet I heard absolutely nothing from Her."

"It'll be okay, Princess," Link said halfheartedly. He knew that she was trying to speak to a deity that simply did not exist. He remembered the desperation well: the way he would pray every night to the Goddess for his mother to get better. How he would pray constantly for her health, when she only got more and more sick. He remembered screaming throughout his house after her death, and even screaming, his words were not heard. Her attempts, no matter how wholehearted they were, were lackluster at best, "This is only part of the pilgrimage. Perhaps at the next spring you will be able to hear her."

"Perhaps," Zelda whispered, wringing out the bottom of her saturated dress, "I'll change quickly and then we can be off."

They left the spring in silence, sticking to the main roads as much as possible. Their horses had been mostly tied up for the last three days, with only a few apples Link had been able to scavenge and the grass to graze on. While Epona, regardless of the circumstances, was generally well behaved, the same could not be said for Storm. Storm was restless, eager to gallop into the sunset to let off some steam, but the Princess kept her at a firm and steady trot as they made their way to the Bridge of Hylia.

By the time they reached the edge of the Faron region, Storm had just about enough of it.

The horse stomped its hooves erratically against the stonework just before the Great Bridge, neighing fitfully as it shook its head, moving in retreat of the bridge.

"Come on, Storm," Zelda wasn't having it either, pressing her knees firmly into the sides of the beast, edging it forward, "Just a little further."

Storm wouldn't budge however, and firmly kept all four of its hooves on the ground, shaking its head.

"Storm," Zelda warned, her eyes growing wide in frustration, "Move!" She dug her heels abruptly into the sides of the beast, in an attempt to subdue the beast.

This only made Storm angry. Storm reared backwards on its hind legs, neighing violently, and the Princess screeched, holding onto Storm's mane for dear life.

Oh, it was quite the spectacle to watch, for certain. However, Link supposed that he should intervene.

"Hey, hey, hey," Link soothed, jumping down from Epona and approaching the yielding beast with his hands raised in front of him in peace, attempting to calm the horse. Storm heaved forward on its front legs, snorting all the while. Link approached the horse as he would a camp of unknowing Bokoblins: silently and carefully, watching the horse for any sign of danger.

He looked into Storm's face and was immediately met with kind, endearing eyes. He smoothed out the hair on its neck, earning a nicker in response.

He pulled out an apple from his pack and tossed it to the Princess to use as an offering. At this, he got _both_ horses immediately interested. He laughed, and pulled out a second for Epona, who had immediately come up beside him. Zelda placed the apple in front of Storm's mouth. Begrudgingly, the horse took the bait, giving her a happy nicker.

"How do you do that?" Zelda asked, her eyes wide in amazement, "With Storm. How are you able to calm her down like that?"

"I suppose I've always had a way with horses," Link responded, speaking coolly towards Storm, "I never grew up with horses," truth, "and really only ever encountered them after my mother died," vague, half truth, "and they've always been good to me. You have to be sure to take the time to sooth your mount… that's the only way it will know how you truly feel. They're smart, intelligent creatures. They can sense your distress, and they're highly empathetic. If you're stressed, they'll also be stressed."

"I suppose that makes sense," Zelda said, "and here I was just about to march him up to the ranch to trade in for a different horse."

"You forget," Link said, "that horses of a single color, like your white stallion, are exceptionally capable; but they are known for their poor temperaments."

"I didn't know that," Zelda confessed.

"No?" Link laughed, "That's one of the first things I learned in-"

 _In the Yiga Clan._ As a new recruit. Deep within the hideout. Being given a single colored horse for one of his very first field missions.

"Don't piss it off," they had said, "or it'll buck you off faster than you can say 'Hail Ganon'."

Zelda looked at him quizzically, "One of the first things you learned where?"

Link hauled himself onto Epona and spurred her into a trot, "Nothing," he whispered, tilting his head back towards the Princess, "Just don't piss it off."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! The first of the spring scenes – done! I wasn't sure going into this if I would touch on the Spring of Courage or just skip over it. I compromised and did a little recap of it in retrospect.
> 
> Okay, the bit about his mother? I died writing it. Honestly, I started tearing up as he was kneeling before her grave. And also, the memory with him and the Princess at the tree in the storm, I did not realize when I wrote Chapter 2 with his bit about him being from Deya that the scene takes place BY Deya. And the memory picture shows the Bridge of Hylia, but Zelda and Link are FACING the village. It's meant to be. I honestly think Link IS from Deya, canonically speaking.
> 
> At this point, we have 6 memories left with 7 chapters remaining. It is all outlined, and so there is one memory per chapter with the final chapter being an epilogue that will answer everyone's questions about everything in this story. I'm honestly most excited for the epilogue.
> 
> Question for the room: who here would be interested in reading a prequel to this, accounting Link's childhood and the death of his mother and his path to the clan? It would be a one-shot, and would encompass all of the backstory I have sprinkled in these 13 chapters, plus in future chapters. I'm just so emotional about his backstory, I feel like it's inevitable that I will write out something absolutely devastating. I would write it after this story's completion, so there aren't any spoilers.
> 
> Anyways, thank you for reading thus far! Wash yer hands, stay inside, leave a comment or review, follow or favorite if you haven't yet, and I will see you all next Wednesday!


	14. Chapter 14

Link should have never offered to search for ancient Sheikah relics with her.

It had started first thing in the morning. Link had been waiting outside of the Princess's quarters just past dawn. They were ordered by the King to begin their pilgrimage just after dawn to the Spring of Power. However, right as the Great Bell chimed, the Princess strolled out of her quarters with a different mission for the two of them: to find the five ancient columns beneath Hyrule Castle.

Oh, if only it were that easy.

"In my meeting with Robbie yesterday," Zelda was babbling on, "he was mentioning how he and the other Sheikah Scientists have restored mobility to many of the Guardians we have excavated! There is going to be a demonstration happening this afternoon."

"That's wonderful," Link responded, feigning interest, "but didn't your father say that we were to make our way to the Spring of Power at dawn today?"

"Perhaps…" Zelda mused, pointedly not making eye contact with him.

"Well, Princess, looking for these ancient columns, and sticking around for that Guardian demonstration, they both are in direct conflict with the King's orders."

"Oh hush," Zelda admonished, "and again, enough with the honorifics. You said so yourself that they were overrated. The Spring of Power can wait. Right now, all of my attention needs to be focused on these ancient Sheikah relics, and we cannot be satisfied with only the few Guardians we have been able to gain full control of. We will need to find the rest of them if we are to have our best shot against Calamity Ganon."

"There are more of them?" Link asked, matching his pace with the Princess's. Zelda had mentioned that they had found nearly fifty Guardians, in their excavations, and had restored functionality to almost half of them so far. Just how many more Guardians could they find? How many had the ancient Sheikah assembled?

Perhaps the Spring of Power _could_ wait.

"According to our research, yes," Zelda said, making a sharp turn down the corridor, towards the docks, "Records mention a greater number of them, enough to take on an entire army, and enough that they were successful in their assault against Calamity Ganon ten thousand years ago. It also mentions different types, which makes me wonder how they are different from one another. Do they come in different shapes and sizes? Do some of them have different functionalities? Are some of them even recognizable as the Guardians we have so far found? We won't know until we find the ancient columns beneath the castle that house them."

"How big are these columns that we're looking for?" Link asked.

"Our records don't specify their dimensions, but they should be quite large. I am hoping that we are able to find them today, and deliver our findings to Robbie and his team."

Zelda's voice trailed off as she muttered to herself, thinking out loud. Link, in turn, was silent, as his mind was calculating. The Princess was looking for five ancient Sheikah 'columns' – that which was already vague enough to begin with. But in addition, the Crown did not seem to have any insight into the precise whereabouts of these columns. That proved both beneficial and detrimental to the Yiga Clan's cause. On one hand, since the Royal Family did not know where these columns were located, they would be unable to manipulate the Guardians inside. On the other hand, without precise coordinates of these columns, the information proved to be of little use to the Yiga Clan as well.

It was becoming increasingly clear to Link that the ancient Sheikah technology was what proved to be the tipping point ten thousand years prior, and what would be the catalyst when Ganon made his return that spring. Most of this technology had been lost to the hands of time, and had only been recently remembered in the foretelling of the prophecy. With the Divine Beasts and the Guardians on the side of the Royal Family and the Sheikah Tribe, they could very well hold their own against the threat of the Calamity.

However, if the Princess was unsuccessful in unlocking her sacred powers, _and_ the Yiga Clan gained control of the ancient Sheikah technology to aid Ganon in his comeback, then they would be in full power, and they would be able to absolutely _devastate_ Hylia's followers.

Not to mention, their Hero did not have their best intentions at heart.

Link had to get this information to his clan, somehow.

But for now, he followed Zelda as she searched high and low, to and fro within the castle, searching for these fabled 'columns' that housed the Guardians. It was still unclear to Link what they were looking for, and Link had a sneaking suspicion that the Princess wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, either. Were these columns like a storage unit of sorts, needing a key of some sorts to open them? Were these columns more like a landmark, and the Guardians were all lying dormant near these columns beneath the castle? Were these columns a metaphor for something else entirely?

Or perhaps it was that they were missing the point all together.

Either way, it didn't matter much to Link until they found these columns. If no one had control of the Guardians that lay dormant, that was all fine with Link. However, if and when they were found, it was imperative that the Yiga Clan be made privy to the location of the columns.

It was a pity there was no longer another brother within the castle. It would be so much easier to pass the information along.

A few hours later, the Princess finally gave up, at least for the moment. They were well beneath Hyrule Castle at this point, just below where the mine carts from an age long past rusted in the forgotten shadows of the fortress. The mine carts still worked, to a degree, but they needed a substantial force to move them across the tracks. Zelda had sighed, noting that she would have to leave those caves for another day, and leave the mine tracks unexplored and undiscovered.

Which suited Link just fine.

"We'll continue this search another time," Zelda said, her voice low and breathy in clear disappointment, "For now, we'll need to head back upstairs and get ready for the Guardian demonstration out on the lawn."

"It might be in our best interests, then, to leave for the Spring of Power right after," Link suggested, trailing behind the Princess as the snaked their way back through the castle, "Before your father sees that you're still here. It wouldn't be wise for us to stick around much longer."

"What, you don't like being a little rebellious?" Zelda winked, before her face fell, "Yes, I suppose that would be best. Send someone to prepare our horses, and I'll have my maids prepare my bag while we are watching the demonstration."

Link nodded, parting ways with her as she entered into her chambers. He headed down towards his quarters, giving that specific task to a servant on the way to prepare his bag. He wouldn't need much: most of what he needed to survive for a few days he kept on his person at all times. Such was a habit long since kept from his time in the clan.

However, it was his struggles in keeping a certain Princess alive which prompted him to prepare a bag.

It didn't take long: mostly things like an extra blanket, extra rations from the kitchens – things he could see the Princess needing. Indeed, this bag wasn't for him. It was an additional bag for the Princess.

He exited his quarters, swiftly turning the key through the lock as he made his way up through the winding halls of Hyrule Castle back up to the Princess's chambers. He rapped his knuckles on the wooden door three times, and it was instantly opened. Zelda was darting around the room like a rabbit – the long, blue tail of her dress billowing out behind her as she paced - her maids struggling to keep up with her as they tried to place her crown at her hairline.

"We haven't much time until it starts," Zelda was saying, "and I want to be able to write in my research notes about our findings today."

Or lack of findings, thereof.

"It just won't do for us to go to the Spring of Power following this demonstration," Zelda said, her voice quickening as she paused in her pacing. One of her maids took this as the opportunity to slap the crown on her forehead, and Link could practically hear the collective sigh from the two maids as they finally got their eccentric Princess dressed.

"There's going to be so many discoveries from this demonstration I'm going to have to document," Zelda continued, "Yes, we simply cannot go to the Spring of Power today – there just isn't time! We are just on the cusp of this technology, I just know it!"

"Zelda, we have to leave today. Technically, we should have already left by now."

"It would be irresponsible of me to leave when we are on the verge of making a breakthrough!"

"It would be irresponsible of you to ignore your father's demands."

"But there's so much that I need to do _here_!"

"Your father commands it," Link said, taking a step towards Zelda as she busied herself in front of her mirror.

"My father commands a lot of things," Zelda said, waving him off, "We'll go – I'm not saying we won't – just not today. I have been to the Springs of Power and Courage many times since I was a little girl, and haven't heard anything from the Goddess. What's to say this time will be different?"

"It won't be different with that attitude," Link said, before he could stop himself.

It was silent in the room as both Zelda and her two maids snapped their heads towards him, all with varying degrees of shock on their faces. The two maids looked absolutely horrified, and Link could practically see from their expressions on their faces that they were anticipating the next public execution to be his. Zelda had a similar state of shock on her face, but Link could see that shock dwindle down as his words solidified.

"You're right," her words surprised everyone in the room, "I should continue to be diligent, shouldn't I? Perseverance will see my struggles through," she laughed silently to herself, her smile not quite meeting her eyes, "This is all a little much, isn't it? The Princess of Hyrule, adorned in her jewels and silks for what she would normally observe in pants and boots."

"Why aren't you?" Link asked, a wave of brashness taking over him. Link knew that he should stop, that he should keep his mouth shut and just revert back to polite nods and gestures, but Zelda had said she wanted him to be more open with him, right? And to speak his mind.

And thus, he was going to speak his mind.

Zelda waved her maids out of her quarters, her eyes never once breaking eye contact with him. Soon, it was just the two of them, the space between them deafening.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Link," Zelda whispered, "I don't think going to the springs is going to do much. I know it's not the right attitude or the right mindset, but it's the truth. I don't want to be seen as a failure to my people… or a failure to…" she trailed off, as she turned her back towards him.

"To who?" Link prompted, taking a step forward.

"Never mind," Zelda whispered, wiping a tear away from her eye. Skies above, she was crying again, "I just don't want to be seen as a failure, and so I want to help in the ways that I know best: and that's with the Guardians and the Sheikah technology. Though the research teams here at the Castle do not require the Princess's presence, it's important that they know they have my full support and leadership," she fisted a bunch of fabric at her hips, holding the material tightly, "I know it's a lot of pomp and circumstance," she whispered, "but then again, that's another thing I'm quite good at."

There was that part of him that wanted to feed into the failure – the part that wanted to reassure her of the fact that yes, she was a failure, and yes, going to the three springs would be a fruitless endeavor. However, he firmly leaned into his role as her appointed knight, and said, without much thought to it, "I'm sure that things will turn out the way that they are meant to be."

"You think so?"

"I'm certain of it."

Zelda sniffed, and she must have heard what she needed to hear in his words, for she looked up at him with a small smile on her face, "Thank you, Link. You're right: everything will turn out how it's meant to be."

With all of Hyrule at their Demon King's mercy.

He followed her up the spiral staircase leading to her tower. From the bridge, he could see that while Robbie's team was setting up for the demonstration, they were not yet ready to begin. This worked out fine, as Zelda made her way across the bridge to her study, waving back towards the Sheikah that caught sight of their beloved and powerless Princess.

Link stood outside her study as Zelda wrote in her research journal. It was a fine, sunny day, he noted, and would make the journey to the Spring of Power much easier. Should all go well, the demonstration wouldn't last very long, and he and the Princess could get a head start to the spring while there was still daylight.

From across the bridge, Link saw two knights climb up the spiral staircase and station themselves outside of the door. Link squinted, and recognized them as two of the guards from the King's personal Royal Guard detail. That was odd… they normally wouldn't make their way up here unless they were with the King.

Unless…

Zelda opened the door from her study then, running over towards the center, looking out into the courtyard below. Indeed, it looked as though the demonstration had begun, the Guardians swiveling and crawling at the Sheikah's command.

Zelda looked longingly out from the bridge, "Incredible…" she whispered, "We're at the point now where we can actually control them. At the current rate, we'll soon know all we need to know about the Guardians and the Divine Beasts! Once we find the location of the five ancient columns, we will be able to gain control of those Guardians as well!" Zelda turned towards him, a genuine smile on her face, "And should Ganon ever show itself again, we'll be well positioned to defend ourselves."

"What are you doing out here, Zelda?"

Link knew the King's voice anywhere.

Link looked up, confirming what he already knew to be true. Of course, that's why the knights were there. They were always to be one step ahead of their King. He should have seen that as a sign forthcoming, a sign of what was about to happen.

In this revelation, Link very nearly forgot himself. Collecting himself, he lowered himself to one knee, lowering his head in what would be proper protocol given the circumstances. He knew the King would be just as angry at him as he was at his daughter for still being at the castle in light of their excursion. How could he have been so stupid? He should have simply collected the Princess that morning at dawn and thrown her onto the back of Storm, instead of scouting the castle for relics that might not even be there.

"I…" Zelda paused, her voice wavering as she moved in front of him, "I was accessing the results of the experiment with the Guardians," her voice grew stronger, bleeding with passion as she continued, "These pieces of ancient technology could be quite useful against the-"

"I know that," the King said, his voice quiet, yet strong; silencing the Princess immediately, "That's why I'm here. They are essential to Hyrule's future, and our research demands that we keep a close eye on them. However, as the Princess, you currently have a crucial, unfulfilled responsibility to your kingdom. Did I not order you to make the pilgrimage to the three springs? Were you and your knight not scheduled to make that trip just after sunrise this morning? You are supposed to be safely arrived to the Akkala Citadel by now, but instead, you have blatantly disobeyed my orders. I had to find out about this from one of my advisors, who said that they saw you and your knight exploring the mines beneath the castle just this morning."

Zelda's eyes shifted downwards, her left hand fisted, her body trembling.

"Let me ask you once more…" the King continued, "When will you stop treating this as some sort of childish game? This is the future of Hyrule at stake; do you not realize this?"

"I am doing everything I can," Zelda whispered, "I'll have you know that I just recently returned from the Spring of Courage, where I offered every ounce of my prayers to the Goddess-"

"And now you are here wasting your time," the King said, his voice growing, loud enough to be heard by the Sheikah below. However, they would all know better than to give any indication that they could hear him, "You need to be dedicating every moment you have to your training, not to the Sheikah relics that you offer zero contribution to. You must be single-minded in unlocking the power that will seal Calamity Ganon away."

"I already am!" Zelda said, her voice picking up in pitch and speed, "Don't you see – there's nothing more I can do!"

"You could try doing what is expected of you," the King seethed.

Ah yes, something Link and the King could agree on.

"I am trying," Zelda said, holding back tears, "My hope is… my hope is that you – that you'll allow me to contribute here, in whatever way I can."

"No more excuses, Zelda," the King's great voice boomed, "Stop running away from your duty. Failure is not an option. You must learn to do better. As the King, I forbid you to have anything to do with these machines from this moment on, and command you to focus on your training."

"But father –"

"My word is law," the King said, his voice now a whisper, "It's time that you start obeying it," he turned towards the edge of the bridge, ignoring the Guardians completely as he looked out towards Castle Town, "Do you know how the gossip mongers refer to you?"

Zelda was silent, her breaths coming in shorter and faster.

"Answer me, Zelda!"

"No, I don't!"

"They are out there, at this moment, whispering amongst themselves… that you are the heir to a throne of nothing… nothing but failure."

From beneath them, a Guardian executed a move from the Sheikah demonstration. Light applause followed.

"It is woven into your destiny," the King continued, "that you prove them wrong. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Zelda whispered, "I understand."

"Very good," the King said, "You and your knight are to leave for the Spring of Power at once. You are to make it to the Akkala Citadel by nightfall. And as for you," Link felt the King's eyes bearing into him. Hesitantly, he looked up, into the cold, steely eyes of his King, "It would be in your best interests to heed my orders from now on. You set an example for not only all of the Royal Guard, but for all of Hyrule. Do not make me regret appointing you as Captain of my Royal Guard or as my daughter's appointed knight. Prove to me that my trust was not misplaced. Do you understand, boy?"

Link nodded once, but the King had already turned around and was walking the way he came, his guard detail following behind him.

Link waited a good five seconds after he was sure that the King had left before he looked up again. Zelda was still standing exactly where the King had left her, her head down towards the ground with her fists clenched at her sides. He saw the tears streaming down her face and onto the stone floor as she struggled to keep her composure.

Up until this moment, Link had the King of Hyrule on his side, and while the King was more likely still in favor of his daughter's appointed knight and the wielder of the Master Sword, he was now associated with defying the King's orders. In a minor sort of way, it was a form of treachery: a black stain on his persona. While he had been let go with a slap on the wrist, it could lead to a domino effect. Any more foolish mistakes could jeopardize his mission altogether, for it could lead to his position as the Princess's appointed knight being revoked.

It was a mistake he was certain he would not make again.

Then, abruptly, Zelda marched into her study, creating a haphazard pile on her desk before clutching it all to her chest, making her way back across the bridge, "Guess I won't be needing these," she whispered to herself, to him, to anyone who might be listening.

"Princess," Link followed behind her, unsure of what to do. The Princess's emotions seemed to go from grief to fury in one second, and the dichotomy of it made Link worried for the Princess's wellbeing.

…Oh sweet baby Ganon, he was growing delusional.

Zelda flew down the spiral staircase, taking the steps two at a time, her skirts getting in the way as she tripped and stumbled. Link was not far behind her as she threw the papers all onto her bed, turning her back towards them. She ran her fingers through her hair, ripping her crown from her forehead. She held it in her hands like she would a Silent Princess, delicate and fragile.

Then, like the turning of a switch, her demeanor changed, and she threw her arm back and hurled it against the wall with a cry. Link watched as the crown shattered, the small, ornate jewels flying off and scattering around the room.

Zelda stood there, breathing hard, her shoulders heaving. He couldn't imagine what the Princess was feeling – though he supposed, that thought was inconsequential, and yet, he felt that he really must do something.

Link took a step forward, approaching her like he would an injured bear, with his hand outstretched towards her.

"Zelda…" she didn't respond, her back still towards him as though she hadn't heard him.

Carefully he took another step forward, "Zelda."

Again: nothing. He fought with his emotions, and against his better judgment, he reached out further, "Zel…"

As his hand touched her shoulder, he felt a spark ignite between the two. Link watched as the Princess shattered beneath his touch, her composure fragmenting into a thousand pieces. Her fury dissolved into grief instantly, and before Link could even think to move out of the way, the Princess had collapsed into his arms, her cries ringing in his ears as she clutched onto his tunic.

Nothing in his training in either the Yiga Clan or the Royal Guard could have prepared him for this moment. He was never told what he should do in these situations. The closest thing he could think of would be to maybe stab a dagger into her back to get her to let go. However, he did not think that would help in this situation.

And thus, Link did the only thing he knew to do.

He let her cry.

Apprehensively, Link let his arms wrap around the small girl, placing his hands just above her shoulder blades. He felt his tunic grow damp from her tears, as she buried her face in his shoulder. Her sobs only seemed to grow in intensity, and so Link held onto her tighter, his thumbs rubbing small, soothing circles into her shoulder blades.

It was a miracle that no servants or maids entered the Princess's quarters during this time. To see the Princess crying into her knight's shoulder… held tightly in his embrace… why, it would be scandalous. It would be treacherous.

And it was that treachery of what was considered forbidden that made Link hold her all the more tightly.

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

Link stiffened, as he began to understand Commander Impa a little bit better.

Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity, the Princess's cries began to slow, until they were replaced with tremors throughout her body as she struggled to maintain a control on her emotions again.

"I'm sorry," Zelda whispered, her head still on his shoulder, "I know I shouldn't cry. It's foolish, I know."

"Nonsense," Link whispered. It _was_ foolish, he knew, and yet still: he let her cry.

"It seems my father is keen on taking the one final thing that brings me joy from my life. I see now that my life is not for me, but for my country. How naïve of me to believe that I could have some autonomy."

"Once all of this is over, you'll have your entire life to study them," Link said, though he reckoned it might be difficult in the shadow and malice of the Demon King's wrath.

Or if she were dead.

Gingerly, Zelda lifted herself from Link's embrace, smoothing out her skirts, before making her way over towards the documents on her bed.

"I had been creating these blueprints of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts," Zelda said, unprompted, as she sifted through the different documents. Looking over her shoulder, Link's eyes widened as he saw what was, no doubt, step by step instructions on how to control the Sheikah relics, "I suppose now that I've been forbidden from having anything to do with them anymore, I won't be needing these," she organized them into a much neater pile, before turning them around and handing them to Link, "Could you get rid of these for me, please? Burn them, bury them, I don't care: I don't want for father to see that I still have them the next time he comes through."

Link took the documents in his hands: the blueprints, which held all of the secrets to understanding and controlling the Guardians and the Divine Beasts.

And Zelda wanted for him to get rid of them for her.

Oh, he could do that.

Link nodded as he snatched the documents – albeit a little too quickly, though the Princess didn't seem to notice.

"We'll leave in a half an hour," Zelda whispered, "Meet me by the courtyard? I'm certain father will think it a waste of his time for me to say my goodbyes."

Link nodded once, before turning on his heel and heading out of the Princess's quarters quickly. He made his way down the hall, passing by many rooms with at least twenty different fireplaces he could dispose of the documents in. No, he had a much better way to dispose of them; a way that would be beneficial for all parties involved.

He just had to make sure that he did not pass a certain Commander in the process.

"Captain!"

For the love of Ganon, _what now?!_

Link whirled on him, his icy blue eyes making the man recoil and stumble back. It was that same knight from his Royal Guard who was about as smart as a bag of bricks. The one whose name he could never get right. The name still evaded him… was it Deduce? Obtuse?

This knight simply needed to be transferred due to his horrific name.

"What is it?" Link spat, the knight taking a step backwards.

"I can come back later if…"

" _Now!_ " Link growled, "Don't waste my time, you fool. You've already got my attention."

At this, the knight was turned to a quivering mess, his large, golden eyes wide in fear, "It's a message, sir, from the King."

"Well?" Link said, impatiently, "I haven't got all day; what is it?"

"The King demands that you check in with the Captain of the Akkala Citadel, immediately upon arriving, and then again on your way back once you leave. He says that this is nonnegotiable."

Link sighed, blinking his eyes. Of course the King demanded this of him. By doing this, it kept tabs on the Princess's whereabouts, and prevented her from venturing off from her pilgrimage. If they took too long, or didn't check in, the Captain would report it, and her father would know.

And Link would be the one to pay the price.

The King must be quite angry with him for sending one of his knights with the information instead of summoning him directly.

Link nodded, "Very good. Anything else?"

"No sir," the knight nodded fiercely, before running back the way he came, tripping over his own two feet all the while.

It was a wonder how that obtuse man had even gotten into the Royal Guard.

Link looked down the corridor, seeing as he was alone, and breathed out a sigh of relief. He made it the rest of the way to his quarters and swiftly locked the door behind him. He leaned up against the door, clutching the documents in his arms. He had to get this information to his clan.

He set the documents down on top of his dresser. Hastily, he lowered himself to the ground, sitting cross-legged on the floor. He had to make this quick.

He closed his eyes, clasping his hands together, with his first two fingers facing upwards. He cleared his mind, feeling his magic swell up from deep inside him. It had been far too long since he had used his powers. He had only used but a fraction of them in the Gerudo Desert when he tried to reach out to his brothers. This, however, would be a far greater demonstration of his abilities.

His magic exploded around him in magnificent arrays of oranges and greys. The insides of Link's eyelids grew red as his magic swirled around him. He could only hope that no one was looking at his tiny window from outside of Hyrule Castle. He hoped that it wasn't even noticeable.

Link reached out with his mind, across the Hyrule Fields – across the Gerudo Desert – to the unsuspecting valley of his clan. Link breathed in, attempting his connection to his clan. It would not do him any favors to teleport himself to the valley to hand deliver these documents. No – the likelihood that he would be missed would be far too great. It would take much too long. He needed someone to make their way to him: to his small, unsuspecting room within Hyrule Castle.

And he needed for someone to do so _quickly._

Link breathed in, focusing his energies into his clan, searching for someone – anyone – to hear his message and teleport in using his coordinates. He wouldn't be surprised if they were all apprehensive to do so. They all knew what had happened to the last clansman who entered Hyrule Castle.

But who were they to defy him?

"You called for me, Lieutenant?"

Link knew his master's voice anywhere.

Link opened his eyes, and was face to face with Master Kohga himself. He sat cross-legged in front of Link, with an almost amused smirk on his face.

Link made a move to kneel in front of his master, but Master Kohga merely scoffed, "Let's skip the formalities," Master Kohga sneered, "Your brothers and sisters all hesitated when they heard your call. Hesitation is a sign of weakness, and they shall all be punished for it. However, I can't say that I blame them, after the way you ruthlessly slayed your brothers out in the Gerudo Desert, and in the lockup of Hyrule Castle."

"I did what I had to do to maintain my cover," Link whispered, his palms itching.

"And I commend you for it, don't get me wrong," Master Kohga laughed, "The one in the lockup was a traitor, no doubt, and the three I had sent out into the Gerudo Desert… well, had they lived, you wouldn't have been doing your job well as the Princess's – erhm – 'appointed knight'," Master Kohga paused, a knowing look in his eye, "As for your call to us just now, I, for one, was very interested in knowing what my Lieutenant needed from his clan, especially so far along in his mission."

Link stood, grabbing the documents in one swoop, "We haven't much time, I'm expected back soon," Link passed the documents to Master Kohga, "I was able to get a hold of these."

"What are these?" Master Kohga whispered, though his eyes betrayed him as he recognized the ancient Sheikah relics instantly.

"Blueprints," Link responded, "of the Divine Beasts and the Guardians. They give instructions on how to control and navigate them. The Royal Family and the Sheikah Tribe are planning on gaining control of all of them and using them against our Demon King, much like they did ten thousand years ago. They tipped the odds in their favor before, but if the Yiga Clan were to gain control of them now…"

"…then our Demon King would be unstoppable," Master Kohga whispered, the tops of his lips coiling upwards.

"Precisely," Link whispered, "Additionally, the Princess mentioned that her studies talk about five 'columns' beneath Hyrule Castle, that house even more of these Guardians. We weren't able to find them, but I wanted to let you know that the ancient Sheikah texts do speak of them, and that their existence is likely."

"Well done, Lieutenant," Master Kohga breathed, directing a rare smile towards Link, "is there anything else that I must know?"

Link grinned, a sinister look appearing on his face, "The Princess of Hyrule carries not a drop of the blood of the Goddess in her, and the foolish Hylian Monarchy chose _me_ as their hero… there is no possible way that our cause can fail now."

"It is not an option," Master Kohga agreed, "As your mission comes to a close, remember this well: you have done our Demon King a great service, and it will not be forgotten. You'll serve our Demon King even long after the annulation of Hyrule, and as His new kingdom rises from the ashes."

Link locked eyes with his master, as he began to disappear in a cloud of orange and black smoke, "I will not fail."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAH! That ending was never planned! It was going to be some random servant, but then as I was writing about the fact that they would all be terrified of their lieutenant at this point, all of a sudden Master Kohga was there, and I was like, yo we haven't seen this dude since Chapter One! Let's drag him back in!
> 
> So as you can see, I am leaning into Zelink a little harder with this chapter – but not in that traditional sense. It's not the focus of this story. But given our next few memories, it's tough to avoid. So I'm not going to avoid it. But, clearly, our chosen hero does not have the best intentions at heart, and only uses her as a means to an end.
> 
> Is he trying to get the Royal Ass?
> 
> Is he trying the murder the Royal Ass?
> 
> Alas: we may never know. Such is the way of life.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter. We head to the Spring of Power next chapter! I'm honestly so excited to write the rest of this, because the rest of the memories are just so JUICY!
> 
> See you next Wednesday! Stay tuned!


	15. Chapter 15

It was no later than the sun rising over the horizon that found Link and Zelda departing from the Akkala Citadel.

True to his word, Link had checked in with the Captain of the citadel upon his arrival in the late, late evening. He even went above and beyond, having the Captain of the Akkala Citadel sign a letter to be sent to the King, stating their arrival and their intentions. It was overkill, he knew, but he was going to follow every order from the King from that moment on to the letter.

That is, until the Princess's special birthday assassination.

Then, he would be free to dance on the graves of the King and all of his subjects. But for now, he had a role to play – he was on his stage, and all eyes were on him.

Link and the Princess had hardly gotten a wink of sleep. It was all they could do to grab a late, quick supper with the Captain before retiring to bed. Link was used to getting little to no sleep. It was part of the job – of being both her appointed knight and an assassin. His time in the Yiga Clan had taught him that any moment asleep was a moment with his eyes closed: and the potential for a knife in the back. And thus, unless he could deem it absolutely safe, he would lean more towards staying up and keeping watch, than letting his guard down and sleep.

The Princess, however, was not used to such sleeping habits.

She awoke groggily, with bags under her eyes, and had even pleaded that they sleep in and leave a little later – she had commented dryly that the trip to the springs would make little to no difference anyways. However, Link already had a strike against him from the King. While the King was not there, his men were, and Link needed for the King to be undeniably trusting of him.

It was the only way that this mission could succeed.

Any other assassination, at the first sign of the mission going south, Link would normally just high tail it to his target and stab them repeatedly until they were swimming in their own blood. However, this was not an option for Link in this mission. The parameters were clear: assassinate the Princess in the light of the Blood Moon on her seventeenth birthday. That meant that he had to hold out on her bloodshed until that very moment. If his cover was blown any earlier, and his intentions found out, then the Princess would be put under lock and key, and it would just make her assassination all the more difficult.

Not impossible, certainly: just more difficult. Link would go to whatever measures necessary to get the job done, and done well at that.

They trekked out towards the north, making their way through the Shadow Pass. Link had debated about bringing their two horses: the trek would take only a little more than half a day on foot, and it would be much easier to guard the Princess if he didn't have two horses to worry about either. However, the map the Commander had given him had two locations marked near the spring as Lynel territories. While he was confident that he could maneuver both himself and the Princess around those territories, in the event that one had migrated, he needed a way to get the Princess out quickly if worst came to worst.

As they passed under the canopy of tall, luscious trees, Zelda sighed.

"I used to spend summers here," Zelda murmured, almost inaudible, "in Akkala – with mother. We would stay within the Akkala Citadel at night, and then venture out into the wilderness during the day. She was always a bit more lax with me than father was."

Link grunted in response, and Zelda took that as an invitation to continue.

"She was the first who took me to the Spring of Power. She had me watch her in the spring, and I saw as the water glistened and shimmered in a way I never thought possible. My training was to begin the year after that, with her. She had told me that my powers would develop in time, when the moment was right. However…"

She paused, and Link looked up from Epona's mane.

"Yes?" Link prompted, while doing a quick survey of the area for any signs of danger.

Well," Zelda wiped a stray tear away, "It was not long after that mother was taken far too quickly from this world."

"Is that why you didn't want to go to the Spring of Power?" Link asked, his eyebrows crinkling.

"Partially, yes," Zelda whispered, taking in a deep breath of the fresh, Akkala air, "Brings back some sore memories. It reminds me of what I've worked so hard for, and reminds me that I'll never get those summers back. I'd wager that Akkala is for me what Deya is to you: a sore reminder as to what I have lost."

Link knew not how to reply to that.

They made it to the Spring of Power by midday, the sun casting fleeting shadows over the Ordorac Quarry. On any given day, men would be down in the mine, excavating iron from the mineral rich deposit. However, in light of the Princess's pilgrimage to the Spring of Power, they had all been sent away to different mines, in order to give the Princess the privacy she desired.

In the shadows of Death Mountain, the sun was all but blocked out as it made its descent throughout the sky. It made the spring noticeably cooler, and somehow quieter, despite the raging waterfalls that differentiated it from the previous spring. Indeed, this spring differed greatly from the Spring of Courage: while the Spring of Courage had shallow waters, which were warm, given the climate, the Spring of Power had deep, cooler waters – despite being at the foot of Death Mountain. The waters went up to the Princess's waist when standing, and there would be no option for her to properly kneel before the shrine without her head being covered by the tranquil waters.

Although, Link would most certainly like to see her try.

As Zelda stepped into the inner chamber of the spring, she sighed, her face an awash of emotions that Link could not pinpoint. She wasted no time, fetching her bag from Link. He took that as his cue to give her some privacy, as he stepped into the main hallway that connected the quarry to the spring.

The only indication Link was given that he could go back in was the sound of faint splashes – from the displacement of water as the Princess stepped into the spring.

He walked back into the inner chamber to see her walking slowly, apprehensively, towards the benevolent and foolish Goddess statue. It was almost as though the Princess were finally beginning to understand that her Goddess only dealt in empty promises and treacherous lies. Link knew from their previous excursion to the Spring of Courage that Zelda would stay still as a board, praying in the waters for hours on end.

Based on the tones of her voice, it was a similar prayer that she whispered incessantly to the goddess Din as she had Farore. The failed prayer would take hours, with multiple ancient rituals associated with it. Thus, Link tuned out her murmured prayers, focused in on the sounds of the tranquil waterfalls around him. He dug the tip of the Master Sword into the ancient stonework of the spring, and counted fireflies to pass the time.

Needless to say, the wait had been excruciating. Link had counted a full ten fireflies by the time the moon had risen high above their heads, casting the spring in a magnificent cerulean glow. It would seem that they were not as populated in this region as they were in other areas of the continent.

Or perhaps, they steered clear of the spring altogether, in respects to their goddess.

Yes, it would seem that even the fireflies were fools in their own right.

"I come seeking help…" Zelda's voice floated over the sounds of the waterfalls. Good grief, it would seem that she had finished her ancient ritual and had begun its repetition, "Regarding this power that has been handed down over time… Prayer will awaken my power to seal Ganon away…"

Link shifted in his stance, getting himself comfortable. It would seem that the Princess was not going to stop for supper, instead diving straight into her next ritual. It would be a couple hours yet until Link would need to set a fire and get supper ready. Perhaps the smells of dinner cooking would be enough to get her to speed her prayers along.

"Or so I've been told all my life…"

Well, that was new. Link hesitantly looked over his shoulder to find the Princess speaking freely, her hands down at her sides, the ritual forgotten and disregarded.

"And yet… Grandmother heard them – the voices from the spirit realm," Zelda whispered, her voice just barely travelling over the sounds of the waterfalls, "and Mother said her own power would develop within me. She used to tell me, 'Zelda, my love, all will be well in the end. You can do anything'. But I don't hear… or feel anything!"

Link almost felt sorry for the girl; the way she was forced to plead with deities that neither listened nor cared.

"Father has told me time and time again… he always says, 'Quit wasting your time playing at being a scholar!' Curse you," her arms dropped into the cool waters in frustration, sending ripples across the calm, tranquil waters, "Mother said that I could do anything, and yet I've spent every day of my life dedicated to praying! I've pleaded to the spirits tied to the ancient gods… and still the holy powers have proven deaf to my devotion."

Her voice was beginning to grow thick and shaky. Link could sense her distress from the opposite side of the spring. Prayer time was over.

"Please just tell me… what is it…? What's wrong with me?"

Link fully turned around, to see Zelda visibly shivering from across the spring, "Zelda, I think that's enough prayer for today."

"Prayer will awaken my power to seal Ganon away…"

"Zelda, get out of the water."

"Din, Nayru, Farore, please hear me."

Oh, enough with this, already.

Link set down the Master Sword beside him, and as an after thought, took his boots off and set them to the side. He stepped one foot into the chilly waters, shivering involuntarily to himself. If he was just one foot in and shivering, how in the world had Zelda stayed deep in prayer in the chilly waters in nothing but a flimsy dress?

He trudged through the waters, towards the shaking and shivering Princess, who did not seem to notice him until he was directly next to her in the ancient pool, as a calloused hand reached out towards her upper arm.

Her head turned towards him, her eyes glassy and red, "Link, what -"

"It's time to get out of the water, your highness," Link murmured, his voice firm, yet gentle. He noticed how goose bumps spiked along her flesh where his hand resided, "You've been in the water for hours. It's time to rest."

"Link, I can't," Zelda stuttered, her eyes turning upwards towards the benevolent, blank stare of the goddess statue, her hands shaking as they clasped together at her chest, "I have to unlock my sacred powers. It's the only way that we'll be able to defeat Ganon, and the only way…"

"The only way…" Link echoed, noticing her eyes grow more and more unfocused. His grip on her arm tightened slightly.

"…the only way father won't think me a failure," Zelda whispered, as long, heavy droplets escaped her eyes while her shoulders shook, her brow scrunched up in firm determination as she fought against the tears.

"Oh, Zel," Link whispered, reaching up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind Zelda's freezing ear. He noticed how she leaned slightly into his touch. Hiding his distaste, he drew his hand back, "Your father doesn't think you a failure."

"You haven't heard the extent of what he's said to me," Zelda whispered, the venom in her voice bleeding with every syllable, "Sometimes, he won't even look at me. I think it's because I look so much like mother – members of the Royal Court constantly remind me. It's for this reason that he is so disappointed in me: that I am just the worthless shadow of my mother, with not even the powers required to defend the country against Ganon."

Link was silent as Zelda freely cried in front of him. He bit his tongue as he stopped himself from agreeing with her: that she _was_ just a worthless shadow of her mother. Though he supposed it wasn't her fault that she couldn't unlock these powers. She was just a girl with the entire weight of the world on her shoulders. No, the blame really ought to be directed at her malicious Goddess: for entrusting the world in the hands of a teenager.

"And I just," Zelda whispered, her fingers clawing desperately at her chest, "I just miss her… _so_ much. I've spent the last ten years struggling and fighting to make my father proud, but I haven't even the faintest idea where to begin. I have been stumbling around for the last decade, searching blindly for Hylia's Grace," her voice caught in her throat, her eyes widening, "and still: not even a step closer to understanding this blessed power. Not even a sign to show my progress."

"I understand all too well the agony that comes with losing a parent," Link said, his thumb caressing lightly on her arm where it still resided. Her skin was ice cold to the touch.

In his mind, he heard Urbosa's rich voice echo, _She once passed out in the freezing waters trying to access this sealing power._

He had to do something before history bent and repeated itself.

"Perhaps we can talk more once we get you warmed up?" Link offered, gesturing over towards where they had left their bags for camp, "You'll probably feel much better after you've eaten something,"

Zelda nodded numbly, the water around her sloshing as she slowly stumbled her way out of the spring. As she fully surfaced from the waters, Link had to avert his eyes from the way her white gown clung to her body in ways that he had never imagined or expected. Though it was still fairly dark, the moon shimmered brightly, and the last thing he needed was an accusation of him ogling the Princess.

Completely emerged from the waters, Zelda began to shiver violently, her teeth clattering against the gentle breeze and the tranquil sounds of the waterfalls. Link chided himself: he didn't think she would have emerged for another couple of hours, so he hadn't set up a fire yet for the evening.

With haste, Link fetched Zelda's bag with her spare set of clothes, "Change quickly," Link all but ordered, noticing how her skin seemed almost blue in the moonlight, "You're going to catch a cold if you stay in that dress any longer."

Zelda nodded wordlessly, and disappeared from behind the archway, into the tunnel that connected the spring from the rest of Hylia's country. Link quickly set up a small, roaring fire, and prepped the Princess's bedroll. As an afterthought, he placed his blanket on top of hers.

It wouldn't do for her to die of hypothermia this close to Ganon's revival.

By the time she returned, Link was preparing a warm broth of soup over the fire: he thought it best that she have something that would warm her up from head to toe. Zelda sat down next to him by the fire, curling up in both hers and Link's blankets. If she noticed that she had his as well, she didn't voice it, as she watched the fire crackle with blank, empty eyes. As he passed Zelda her bowl, she nodded her thanks wordlessly, never taking her eyes off of the fire.

"I had a dream last night," Zelda said, unprompted, and it was enough to make Link look up from his bowl of soup.

What, of ponies and unicorns?

"A dream?" Link opted for instead.

Zelda nodded wordlessly, setting down her bowl of soup beside her, "In was dark in my dream. Darkness consumed me from every corner. No matter what I did, I could not escape it. It was all that I could do to not become one with the darkness myself," She heaved in a unsteady sigh, then continued, "Then, out of the darkness, came the most lovely woman I had ever seen. She gazed at me, her light penetrating the darkness, but the darkness fought back, inching closer and closer. Her light was blinding, and I felt that she was not of this world. Was she a fairy? A Goddess? I'm not sure, but she was beautiful."

What she was describing sounded like some sort of Divine dream. While he wasn't sure what entity could have been reaching out to her, Master Kohga often told his clan of visions and messages that he had heart from their Demon King himself. Perhaps this was something similar…

…or perhaps, more likely, the Princess's overactive imagination had simply conjured up some fantastical fairytale.

Link found himself nodding, though, setting his bowl of soup aside as well, completely forgotten in the story.

"I could see her trying to speak to me," Zelda continued, "Her lips moved urgently, but no matter how hard I tried I could not hear her. I have to wonder if she was trying to tell me something important: something about the prophecy and about the return of Calamity Ganon."

"Perhaps it wasn't all that important," Link offered, trying to steer her away, "to me, it just sounds like some weird dream."

Zelda's gaze broke from the cackling fire in front of them, "Perhaps," she whispered, "perhaps it is just the product of some weird dream. But Link, what if it isn't? I've never had a dream like this before. I can't help but wonder if I could have heard her if my power had been awoken. What if she was trying to warn me, and had I been able to hear, we could have all been saved? But instead, Hyrule's doom is going to be entirely my fault."

Zelda was beginning to grow hysterical, her breath shortening and her eyes widening. Link intervened, "Hey, hey, hey," he whispered, turning to the side to face her. He saw that her eyes had started to become watery, the green orbs panicked in her fear, "Hyrule's doom is not going to be entirely your fault."

"Oh, so you think it is going to be _partially_ my fault!"

Link needed to lay off of the cold, hard truths for a bit.

"That's not what I meant," Link backtracked, biting his tongue.

"But you think Hyrule will be doomed."

"No," Link lied easily, grasping her shoulders in his firm grip. They shivered beneath his touch, "That came out all wrong, I'm sorry. Hyrule is not going to be doomed. And it's not going to be your fault… because Hyrule won't be doomed," Link stumbled lamely, trying to get back on track, "You're _going_ to unlock your sacred powers. We're _going_ to find the rest of the Guardians. The other Champions are going to _continue_ mastering their Divine Beasts. And when that moment arrives that Ganon does, in fact, return, we are going to be ready for him."

Zelda sniffled, turning towards him, "You think so?"

"I know so," Link whispered, his thumb reaching up to catch one of her stray tears fall down her cheek. A small, sad smile blossomed on her face, "Let me tell you, we are exactly on track with our mission. And besides, we don't even know when Ganon is going to make his return. It could be tomorrow -"

"Tomorrow?!"

"Or it could be in years," Link quickly recovered, lowering his voice in a soothing manner, like velvet, "You have all the time in the world to unlock this power at your own pace."

"It doesn't seem like it," Zelda whispered, shrugging herself out of his hold. His hands dropped from her shoulders, and Link felt an instant relief: like having taken his hands off of burning coals.

"Can I tell you something, Link?"

The way she spoke those words sounded ominous, foreboding, and held a hint of despair.

"Anything," Link murmured, letting the flames dance off of his icy blue eyes in a way that he knew would look inviting.

Or perhaps downright intimidating. It was one of the two, he was sure.

"Ever since that dream," Zelda said, each word growing more and more anxious, "I've had this horrible feeling."

"Horrible how?" Link asked, his eyes flickering out towards the Goddess statue. Her Grace smiled back blankly as she always did.

"It's going to sound ridiculous," Zelda hissed, the corners of her lips turning upwards in what could faintly be reminiscent of a smile, "I wouldn't blame you if you wouldn't believe me… but right now… I can't shake this strange and terrible certainty that something awful is about to happen."

"Awful how?" Link said, slowly, carefully.

"You said it yourself," Zelda said, her tone empty, "Ganon could return tomorrow, and that's just how this feels. I get the feeling that Ganon is going to return sooner than we have all anticipated. I think it's only a matter of time."

This Goddess-damned Princess was far too shrewd for her own good. Trusting in whatever pointless dream her consciousness had conjured up for her in the dead of night. It was foolish; it was naïve.

And Zelda was absolutely, and irrevocably correct in her assumption.

But he couldn't let her believe that.

"Zelda," Link whispered, scooting even closer to her. Their knees were touching ever so slightly, "It was just a dream. There's no way that it could have been tied to the fate of the world."

"Mother said that she could sometimes convene with the Goddess Hylia," Zelda said, absentmindedly playing with a strand of hair, "It was never on her terms, of course, and it was usually just a one sided conversation. But I have to wonder if this was a warning from the Goddess herself."

Now Zelda was beginning to talk like a lunatic. Well, it was a full moon that night, so perhaps Link wasn't far off.

"You're tired," Link offered, "and you've barely eaten since dawn this morning. I think you should eat some more, and then get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

"Of course you wouldn't believe me," Zelda said, bitterly, turning away from him and crawling towards her bedroll, "Why should you? Coming from Hyrule's Failure of a Princess."

"I do believe you," Link said, scooting closer to her once again. Zelda looked up at him again, this time with an emotion in her eyes that Link couldn't place. There was surprise there, but something more, "I believe that you had this dream. But there's absolutely no use worrying about something that is completely out of your control. All you need to worry about is what you can control in this moment."

"What I can control in this moment?" Zelda echoed, slowly, her eyes meeting his, a clear question in her eyes.

"Yes," Link said, his mouth suddenly dry, as they both stared at each other, the flames licking shadows up and down their bodies.

And Zelda was getting closer, and closer to him…

Oh, no.

Oh, sweet baby Ganon, no.

What did he just say 'yes' to?

Shut it down, _Shut it down._

"Anyways," Link stood up abruptly, grabbing both his and Zelda's soup bowls, both completely forgotten and cold in the springs, "I need to clean these."

"Oh," Zelda simply stated, still sitting by the fire. The blankets that had been around her shoulders had dropped somewhere around her waist, "Yes."

It was silent between the two of them, the distance deafening, as Link washed their dishes and prepared their camp for rest. Zelda sat, as she stared into the fire, her eyes wide and blank, gripping her blankets tightly, her knuckles going white.

And if Link scrubbed their dishes any harder, they very well might just shatter.

He had his back facing her as he scrubbed, letting his face betray him as he struggled to comprehend the last few moments with Zelda. Had the Princess tried to kiss him? Good grief, she was falling for him, it seemed. What a horrific mistake on her part. Not only was he her knight, and the only outcome that could come from this would be his head on the chopping block within Hyrule Castle, but also, she wouldn't be able to tell if a guy had less than noble intentions if it smacked her in the face.

Oh, he should have done that.

He was no good for her, anyways.

"I suppose that it is about that time for us to head to sleep," Link managed, packing away the now immaculate bowls into his bag, "What time would you like for me to wake you, Princess?"

"Ah," Zelda stumbled, shaking her head vigorously, "Before dawn, if you would. I will begin my morning prayers then."

"Very good, Princess."

Link said as he lowered himself onto his bedroll, placing the Master Sword unsheathed beside him. Likewise, Zelda pulled her blankets up to her chin, opting to face away from both him and the dying fire.

"Oh, and Link?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"Enough with the honorifics."

* * *

"Link?"

He was awake, of course. He knew better than to sleep soundly in deep Akkala with no other guards attending to the Princess. It had been a few hours since they had gone to sleep, and the fire had been reduced to mere embers. Overhead, the moon had set. Dark shadows loomed around them, where those without the _noblest of intentions_ could be lurking. Of course he would be awake.

Despite this, he muffled his voice, letting out a sleep-ridden, "Hmm?"

"I'm well aware that you're awake, Sir Knight," Zelda giggled, and Link rewarded her by leaning up on his elbow, looking at her shadow from across the remains of their campfire. He could see the shadow of her outline leaning on her bedroll as well.

"What is it, Zel?"

"I have to wonder," Zelda whispered, "The vision from my dream. I know you said it was just a dream… but the woman was so beautiful, and while it might not be likely…"

"What are you thinking?"

"What if she was mother?" Zelda said, her voice barely carrying, "Grandmother heard our ancestors from the spirit realm – what if that was mother reaching out to me?"

"If it was, she was probably reaching out to tell you how much she loves and misses you," Link said, leaning back down to lie down on his bedroll.

"Perhaps," Zelda sighed, as she lowered herself back down to her bedroll as well.

Link closed his eyes, suddenly feeling heavy. Perhaps he could get just a little bit of light sleep in.

"Link?"

Or not.

"Yes, Zelda?"

A pause.

"Thank you."

What a bizarre creature.

"You're welcome, Zel."

Link rolled over, shivering slightly. He reached down to pull up his blanket.

The Princess still had his blanket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh sweet baby Ganon, indeed. Where last chapter I leaned into the Zelink just a little bit, this chapter I tripped on my own shoes and stumbled straight out into the busy intersection with it.
> 
> I abide by my promise I made earlier: I ain't doing that thing in this story where they smoochy smoochy. But I do have to set up some specific givens for the later chapters.
> 
> So like, I never realized this until I was writing this chapter and getting all of the landmarks in, but the Ordorac Quarry… doesn't that sound like something else to you? Like another place that just so happens to be next to a spring?
> 
> Before y'all attack me, yes, I know Ordon Village is set just beyond the Faron Woods, and is DEFINITELY the wrong region, but I had to wonder, hmm, isn't that interesting?
> 
> Probably looking far too into it, probably just a lil nod, but then again, that's something that I do that best.
> 
> Also, I have to wonder too… is it too far fetched to say that Vah Rudania was excavated out of the Ordorac Quarry? It seems like it would be just the right size, AND it is just at the foot of Death Mountain. Not Eldin region, but right next door. But then why placed right next to the Spring of Power.
> 
> Masterworks, explain. EXPLAIN, MASTERWORKS!
> 
> Also, in a bit of real talk here: how's everyone doing / coping? I'll be honest, I'm not at my best right now, having been laid off and applying for unemployment. It sucks. This whole crisis sucks. But I try very hard to think about what I'm grateful for, and it helps some. Writing helps too, but it's difficult to get myself TO my laptop, sometimes. I'm spending a lot of time with my cats, which is nice. But ugh. I just wanna take this coronavirus and seal it away for another ten thousand years (or forever, tbh).
> 
> Anyways, enough about that. Thanks for reading! Drop a word down below with your thoughts! I will see you all next Wednesday!


	16. Chapter 16

At this point, Link was fairly certain Zelda was just out rightly ignoring her father's demands.

He followed behind her on horseback, as they made their way south from the castle, with an entourage of Sheikah scientists and researchers. Zelda, up ahead, was riding side by side with the tiny Sheikah, Purah, and though Link could not hear exactly what they were talking about, the conversation was clear by how animated the small scientist was: they had clearly made a break through on one of their ancient Sheikah relics, and they were more than eager for the chance to share it with the Princess.

They had left early in the morning, just after sunrise. The Princess had all but dragged him out into the fields to the ranch to collect their horses. Zelda was babbling on about something that Link had no intention to understand. Link had learned to tolerate the Princess since day one, as was his job and necessary to coincide with his mission. However, as she was about to lead him out of the castle, she let something slip about that ancient shrine on the Great Plateau, and he stood his ground.

"Zelda, we can't leave the castle to tinker with ancient Sheikah relics," Link stated, planting his feet firmly into the ground, "Not after your father's last order."

"And that's why he's not going to know."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Quite honestly," Zelda bristled, making an attempt to push past him. He held his stance as she pushed against his shoulder, "I don't give a damn about my father's orders. He can try to keep me confined within the castle all he wants: in his unguided attempt to keep me from the Sheikah relics. I don't care. Purah and Robbie have discovered something new about that shrine on the Great Plateau, and I'll be hard pressed to find myself waving them off in the distance from my tower."

"So how do you think you're going to keep this from him."

"With a long overdue pilgrimage to the Temple of Time."

"You know your father's demands are not to completely spite you, as much as you may think he is," Link said, dryly, "He wants you within the castle walls for another reason: reports have been coming in from every corner of Hyrule – even here in Central Hyrule. The amount of Yiga sightings has increased tenfold. Your father wants you out of harm's way."

And indeed, the Yiga Clan was gaining more and more traction. Link had not heard anything specific from his clan since his fateful meeting with his master in his small room in the castle, but he had eyes, and could see them all around Hyrule. They were hiding in plain sight, and though they passed as simple civilians to the untrained eye, Link knew what he was looking for.

And so did the blasted Sheikah.

The Spring Equinox was just around the corner, and all of Hyrule was blossoming: delicate flowers were beginning to sprout for the first time after their relatively mild winter.

It was a damn shame they would be incinerated upon Ganon's arrival.

Link was waiting with bated breath: his ear to the ground as he waited for the Demon King's return. He knew Ganon was set to return following the Princess's seventeenth birthday, and while he knew it must have been coming up soon, he wasn't sure the exact date. He had every intention just to ask the Princess outright, but she all but buried herself in her Sheikah technology, after her father specifically told her not to. It was difficult to get her to focus on anything else.

Zelda had shrugged, the corners of her lips turning downwards as she shoved past the knight in question, heading towards the southeast to the ranch, "I think that's hardly relevant, don't you? An entire legion of Sheikah will be escorting us to the Great Plateau anyways: I don't think I have anything to worry about from those assassins. They won't get anywhere near me."

Link was so near her, he could have slit her throat right then and there if he had so chose to.

"A pilgrimage to the Temple of Time with an entire legion of Sheikah? Don't you think that's a little overkill?"

"Yiga sightings, Link, keep up," Zelda winked, grabbing his arm and pulling him along, "As much as I know you can hold your own against them, with an entire fleet of Sheikah, they would never even think of making a move."

"But instead of going to the temple, you're going to rendezvous to the shrine?"

"Finally, you're catching on," Zelda said, her smile full of mirth, "I was wondering if you would be able to get it through your dense head."

Dense? Coming from the Princess who had yet to realize his intentions?

"You can thank Purah for the ingenious idea," Zelda continued on, a small smile creeping onto her face, "Father has already permitted me to make the trip to the Great Plateau, and he believes that I will simply be praying at the Temple of Time prior to my pilgrimage to the Spring of Wisdom. I bring with me a team of Sheikah for protection, of which just so happen to be leading the research on the Shrine of Resurrection. I get to tinker with the Sheikah relics, and my father is none the wiser."

"That's… impressive," Link nodded and, despite the King's wishes, followed her out towards the ranch, and then again out towards the Hyrule Garrison where they would be meeting the Sheikah. The Sheikah, as punctual as ever, were already there when they arrived, and they wasted no time following in line to the south, to where the Great Plateau rested: the birthplace of Hyrule.

If Link were to believe the legends, that is.

Fact: he certainly knew that it was considered to be a holy place within Hyrule: common folk were not permitted up onto the plateau unless they had written permission from the Crown. He certainly knew that its entrance at the Great Steps was guarded all day and all night, and it was nearly impossible to infiltrate.

And he certainly knew that he was to be the first active member of the great Yiga Clan to ever step foot on such a 'holy' place.

It felt like the equivalent of crushing Hylia into the ground with the steel of his boot.

They boarded their horses in Gatepost Town, just outside of Great Steps. Link hopped off of Epona, handing her reins to a stable hand wordlessly, making his way towards Zelda, who was at the front of the crowd.

"I cannot wait to show you, Princess," the tiny Sheikah, Purah, was saying, "We have made some groundbreaking discoveries on how the Shrine of Resurrection works. I trust you have that Sheikah Slate with you."

"I do," Zelda whispered, her eyes darting towards the soldiers stationed in the town, though they made no indication that they had heard her.

Purah babbled on, "As far as we know, it is the only facility of its kind. It makes me wonder why the ancient Sheikah made it in the first place, if there is only one: and on the Great Plateau, no less. Clearly, its intent was meant to stay as proprietary information."

"Yes," Zelda whispered, leaning in towards the young Sheikah, "and perhaps, we should continue this conversation while on top of the plateau, where it can give us the privacy we need to _keep_ this information proprietary. After all, I am making this trip for _prayer._ "

"Oh," Purah nodded, her face looking no less than bashful, "Me and my big mouth, of course. Yes, let's head up the Great Steps: there's much to discuss!"

With that, Link followed behind the Princess and Purah as they made their way past the guardsman, up the two hundred steps to the top of the plateau. The guardsman were of the Sheikah tribe, no less, and if Link didn't know any better, he would say that Commander Impa had trained them personally: their sharp, blazing red eyes bore into everyone that was included in the entourage: Hylians and Sheikah alike. After the news of the increase in Yiga sightings, it was to be expected. One could not be too careful, and as far as they knew, any one of them could be a Yiga in disguise.

Indeed, any one of them could.

He had made it this far in his mission, and so far, hadn't had his cover blown, despite the Commander's increasing suspicions. He hadn't given her any tangible proof of his intentions or allegiance, and thus, she had nothing that she could report to the King.

Though if the King found out that Link had allowed Zelda to dive into more ancient Sheikah nonsense, the Commander might no longer need any tangible proof to convince the King of his intentions.

He bit his lip as he climbed the last of the Great Steps to the plateau. He really should have stood his ground with the Princess.

However, all thoughts of the Princess and the King vanished, as he reached the top of the plateau.

He supposed if there ever was a place blessed by the Goddess, this was the place.

He stepped out from under a grand archway over the top of the Great Steps, his mouth hanging open as he viewed the top of the Great Plateau for the very first time. The land was lush, green, and sprawling around him. The smell of grass, cedar, and something else – delicate and soft – reached him, calming his thoughts. It was ancient, and while many of the sprawling buildings were still standing, many showed obvious signs of weathering and aging. To his right was the Forest of Spirits, seemingly endless and vast. Looming in front of him was Mount Hylia, and she was every bit as magnificent up close as she was from afar.

And just to the left of that was the fabled Temple of Time, standing ancient and righteous in front of him.

He found himself staring at it, and though he had never before seen it up close in person, he could have sworn that he had seen it before. It stirred something deep inside him, and Link could have sworn that he felt the Master Sword pulse on his back.

He would have chalked it up to have just been the wind, except he oddly felt no breeze upon that Great Plateau.

He stepped towards the Temple of Time, feeling oddly drawn towards it. He wondered what secrets the temple held as it had stood for thousands and thousands of years. An ocarina whistled on the wind, playing a sad sort of lullaby: a tune he recognized, though had never heard before.

Had he truly gone crazy at this point? He was hearing and feeling things that could not be real, and yet, were.

He suddenly had the undying urge to step inside that temple.

"Link!"

Like a fever breaking, reality washed over him. Suddenly, birds were chirping, the breeze was swaying, and Zelda was standing in front of him: an odd, yet knowing, look on her face.

"You okay there, champ?"

Link nodded, loosening the ties around his collar slightly as he stared at the ancient temple, "Yeah, I just… the Temple of Time… it's something you only read about in story books, not something you get to see in real life."

Zelda nodded, staring off at the temple next to him, "I had a very similar reaction the very first time I saw the temple, as well. We have a history with it."

"A history?"

"One that is nearly as old as Time itself," Zelda said, "Perhaps we will take a look inside once we are finished with the Sheikah shrine. After all, father does believe that I am here to pray at the Temple of Time. Perhaps we'll do so later, that way we'll stick to the truth as much as possible."

Boy, she was taking one out of his book, now.

They continued up more steps, leading closer and closer to the Temple of Time. However, they veered to the right, away from the temple, onto a path that looked significantly newer than the rest of the architecture. It wound upwards, the path twisting and turning, as it led to the base of Mount Hylia.

Link couldn't see where this shrine was. He supposed it should have been obvious, something that he could have seen from far away. However, it wasn't until the Sheikah entourage had stopped, and Link looked up, that he realized that they were right in front of it.

The shrine looked newly excavated, relatively speaking. Sharp jagged stone clashed with the ancient stonework of the shrine. Truth be told, it resembled a cave more than an actual shrine. Having been covered by rock for nearly ten thousand years, it was a wonder that the Sheikah had been able to even find it in the first place.

"Here we are," Purah said, her arms gesturing dramatically towards the cave's entrance, "The Shrine of Resurrection! Princess, do watch your step as you enter the shrine, we've built some additional steps going inside, but it is still a bit difficult to navigate."

Zelda's eyes were wide as she stepped into the shrine, ignoring the Sheikah's hand offering her help. Around them, strange, orange constellations dotted the walls, lightly illuminating the pathway, and Link failed to hide his astonishment. How in the world had the ancient Sheikah learn to light a room like this without the use of candlelight? He could only assume that the constellations were lit at all hours of the day.

In addition to controlling the Divine Beasts and the Guardians, perhaps this light source would be a good thing for the Yiga Clan to acquire as well.

"There are two chambers to the Shrine of Resurrection," Purah said, as they entered the first chamber, "As we had hypothesized, the Shrine of Resurrection was used as a medical facility. Back in its prime, this shrine was state of the art, and could bring a soldier back, even an inch away from death. It even has a long-term stasis function – the power to freeze – that can be activated until the healing is complete. According to our research and ancient texts, there shouldn't be any repercussions with the shrine, however…"

"What is it?" Zelda asked, her eyes locking with Purah's.

"It seems that after ten thousand years, the technology has flawed," Purah stated, leading the group into the second chamber. To the right of the door was a pedestal, glowing a bright orange, "Your highness, if you would, could you place the Sheikah Slate on the control panel?"

Zelda nodded, a light in her eyes, as she stepped forward, unhooking the Sheikah Slate from her belt. She placed it on the pedestal, much like she had with the Guidance Stone in Vah Rudania. She stepped back as it took hold.

The Sheikah Slate sunk into the control panel. The mechanism spun, and then sunk further inwards: its bright, orange light dissolving into a calming blue.

"Activated," Zelda said, a large smile beginning to materialize on her face, "Purah, it says activated!" From behind her, the medical bed dissolved into the same calming blue as the control panel.

With it, Zelda's smile began to drop. She stepped closer to the slate, peering onto its screen, "It says… functionality: forty percent. Override: initiated. Purah, what does that mean?"

"Even as flawless as Sheikah technology is," Purah began, casting her eyes towards the medical bed, "ten thousand years is, indeed, a long time. Many things can withstand the test of time. The Shrine of Resurrection, however, is not one of them. As you can imagine, with the functionality at forty percent, it would now take over twice as long for a patient to heal in the shrine. But there's more to it, than that. Take that soldier, who would be an inch away from death: with only forty percent of the shrine's energies to heal him, the soldier would get worse far quicker than he would get better."

"So they would die?" Zelda asked, her eyebrows crunching together.

"That's what I thought, too," Purah said, "However, the ancient Sheikah technology is relentless: it will pull energy from elsewhere in order to heal the physical injuries of the patient."

"But where else could it pull from?"

"The patient itself."

"I don't understand."

"The ancient Sheikah knew better than anyone else that the brain was the most powerful thing in the universe. That's how they were able to come up with this technology," Purah laughed, "Given that, I couldn't say that I was shocked when I learned that to make up for any deviation less than one hundred percent functionality, the shrine would malfunction, taking away from the patient's brain. Best-case scenario, in a short amount of stasis with the shrine, the patient may be disoriented for a time. Confused of who they were, but their way of life would return to normalcy within time. Worst-case scenario, however…"

"Would be…" Zelda whispered.

"Acute to severe retrograde amnesia," Purah supplied, shaking her head, "That would be certain for any patient with substantial injuries. They would be lucky to remember their own name."

"In the war against Calamity Ganon ten thousand years ago," Zelda began, "Do you think the injuries were so great that they required a medical facility like this?"

"We can only hope that it was made solely as a precaution," Purah chose to reply, her fingers reaching forward to touch a few controls on the Sheikah Slate. The slate spun, before popping out of the control panel. Both the panel and the medical bed dissolved from the calming blue to the bright orange, signaling their deactivation. She picked up the slate, holding it thoughtfully in her hands for a moment, before handing it back to Zelda, "For now, my team is going to continue to make adjustments to the shrine, to restore it to working order."

"Please do," Zelda said, nodding her head, "I will feel much better knowing that this shrine is in full working order. Even if we don't end up needing it."

Not long after found Link and Zelda departing the shrine. The rest of the Sheikah entourage stayed behind: they had some adjustments to make to the shrine, after all.

Zelda stood just at the end of the cliffs, looking out over all of Hyrule, with a wistful look on her face. Link stepped forward, joining her right beside her.

"I will never get over just how stunning this land is," Zelda whispered, her hand reaching up towards her collarbone. Her nails scratched at it lightly, "The thought that Ganon wants to return, to destroy all of this, why… it just doesn't make any sense."

Link turned towards her then. Zelda looked angry, almost: motivated.

Determined.

"I swear, when Ganon returns, if he sets even the smallest fire, if he displaces even a twig on my land, I will make him pay. The fact that the ancient Sheikah made such a shrine… well, when I'm through with him, he'll want it for himself, won't he?"

Link could have sworn he saw something light up on the back of the Princess's hand; however, not a second later, it was gone: just smooth, porcelain skin.

The sun must have gone behind a cloud or something.

On that perfectly cloudless day.

Then, like a switch, the Princess's demeanor changed.

"You wanted to see the Temple of Time, O Hero of Hyrule?" Zelda asked, her eyebrows wagging with mirth as they descended down the hillside. Link, still curious about how and why that temple made him feel the way he felt earlier, nodded wordlessly.

The Princess's face blossomed into a smile, as Link was crudely yanked forward, being pulled relentlessly down the hill towards the great temple in the heart of Hyrule.

As Link fell into step behind Zelda as they walked into the Temple of Time, he felt that same pulse on his back that he had felt earlier that day as he had first laid eyes on it. He shook his head, pushing his shoulders back as he rationalized it must have just been some displacement in his tunic: perhaps some fabric bunched up momentarily. Yes, that made sense.

Yet, as he looked at the ancient, near crumbling walls of the Temple, he felt something within him soar as he recognized _something_ about it. He thought back to the small cathedral in Deya Village – the one his mother had taken him to twice a week as a boy – perhaps that was where he was getting this odd sort of déjà vu.

Etched into the ancient ground was a long since weathered carving of the Tri-Force. Something about it seemed to pull him in – some sort of ancient, dark magic, he presumed – that surely threatened to make him lose all control.

Yet as he was being pulled in, the Princess was being drawn out. She could have, indeed, stayed to pray in the temple, but all it took was one look at the blank stare from the Goddess Statue that caused her to walk right back out the way they came.

And Link was not about to subject her to more pointless praying.

Thus, the two of them went towards the west once they climbed down the Great Steps, stopping only briefly in Gatepost Town to fetch their horses, before heading west. They chose to camp, once again, hidden in the trees on the shores of Lake Kolomo – like they had done weeks ago prior to their trip to Death Mountain. The striking differences, however, were present in the conversations Zelda had with her knight, the slight up turn of her lips, and the sense of companionship she seemed to find in him.

It was slightly revolting.

It was sunrise the next morning, as Link and Zelda rode through the Safula Hills, on their way back to Hyrule Castle. The Princess had insisted on taking the more scenic route back to the castle; she had no desire to get back there in a hurry. If her father believed that she was praying at the Temple of Time, then it would have been a two-day journey anyways.

As they passed through the winding plains, Zelda reached into her pack and pulled out a small, red apple. She held it out in front of Storm, who, upon seeing it, nickered, and happily ate it out of her hand. She giggled, running her hands up and down his neck, planting a light kiss into his mane.

"'You have to be sure to take the time to sooth your mount… that's the only way it will know how you truly feel…' your advice was quite helpful – thank you."

"My advice?" Link asked, drawing a blank as he rode beside her.

"From before, after our trip to the Spring of Courage," Zelda supplied, a small, devious smile beginning to form, "Or – how had you put it? – 'Don't piss it off'? Yes, though less helpful than the former, I'm beginning to understand this little one better now. We're getting along quite well now."

"I'm glad to hear of it," Link said, reaching down absentmindedly to sooth Epona's neck. He had hoped she wouldn't have remembered that last part, "Just don't go repeating that phrase around your father or anyone like that."

Zelda, laughed, before she continued, "At first, I wasn't sure if I should outfit him with all of the royal gear. He could hardly handle what he had before. I thought, maybe he should have to earn it, first. But it works! He wears it like a true natural!" She turned towards him, then: a thoughtful look on her face, "I'm trying to be a bit more empathetic. Benefit of the doubt you know?"

The Princess wouldn't know anything about empathy if it smacked her straight in the face.

"You know, we should get something to outfit Epona in."

Link looked down at his lovely chestnut horse, frowning, "Like what?"

"Oh, don't be like that," Zelda admonished, grinning, "Just something suitable for the stallion of my appointed knight. Nothing too gaudy, of course."

Link could only imagine.

They approached the heart of Sanidin Park: where a great statue of a stallion was erected, overlooking Central Hyrule. The park was used as a sort of breeding grounds for the castle's horses. They gained the same strength as they would horses in the wild, yet they were kept contained, in a controlled environment. From here, as the horses matured, the Crown would pick only the best horses to outfit the Royal Guard.

It was here that both Epona and Storm had been raised.

Zelda dismounted, her eyes trained – distracted – towards the east. Storm grazed freely throughout the park. Link followed suit, following just beyond the Princess – though Epona, obedient as she was, kept her hooves firmly planted where she was.

"See that mountain?" Zelda asked, her voice wavering, "That's Mount Lanayru. It takes its name from the Goddess of Wisdom. Lanayru's decree is very specific. It says no one is allowed, under the age of seventeen… for only the wise are permitted a place upon the mountain."

"Why are you telling me this?" Link asked, slowly, taking a step forward.

"I've prayed at the Spring of Courage and at the Spring of Power," Zelda continued, "Yet neither awoke anything inside me. But maybe up there… perhaps the Spring of Wisdom, the final of the three, will be the one."

"There's always the chance that the next moment will change everything," Link whispered, though he knew that her fate was sealed.

"Perhaps," Zelda whispered, shaking her head, "To be honest, I have no real reason to think that will be the case. But you're right: there's always the chance that the next moment will change everything."

She turned around towards him then, her eyes steadfast and determined, her lips closing into a thin line, "Tomorrow… is my seventeenth birthday. So then I shall go… and make my way up the mountain."

Her birthday was tomorrow.

The Princess's birthday was tomorrow.

Zelda was slated to die tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a sweet little chapter to write. During the scene with the Temple of Time, I pulled a little bit from Breathless, Speechless, especially with the ocarina on the wind. I've always felt, much like in BotW when Link's memory comes back in bits upon seeing certain locations, that by seeing things like the Master Sword, or the Temple of Time, he would remember things that transcend his lives.
> 
> I relied very heavily on Zelda's last entry on her research notes. I finished out her diary last chapter, finished out her research notes in this chapter. I don't need to tell you all what memory comes next. Just know that I have finished out those chapters and I am HYPED to share them with you all.
> 
> You know what bizarre realization I came to as I was writing this memory scene? For whatever reason, I was convinced it took place at sunset. But then, as a sweet Disney tale goes, "certain as the sun / rises in the east", and the sun is just over the peak of Mount Lanayru TO THE EAST and well that was a revelation I was not prepared for.
> 
> Either way, I ADORE this memory, strictly because of the music in it. It's not often that you get to hear that main theme from BotW, and it underscores the memory as she is looking out towards the mountain. I spent many a sleepless night listening to live orchestral compositions of the music from this game, since you don't get to hear it all that much. It really is quite stunning. But of course, I don't need to tell you all that.
> 
> Anyways, let me know your thoughts on this chapter! Next chapter, we head to the Spring of Wisdom! Thanks for reading, and I will see you all next Wednesday!


	17. Chapter 17

It was the day of the Spring Equinox.

Or more specifically, the day of the Princess's birthday.

Under any normal circumstances, there would be a large celebration in place. A ball, perhaps, within the Great Hall of Hyrule Castle: with a feast large enough to feed all of Castle Town and beyond. The Princess, having come of age, would be approached by many a suitor looking to court the Princess of Hyrule to become the next great King.

Under those normal circumstances, Link, dressed in his finest – and most gaudy – Royal Guard uniform, would stand just beyond the Princess, as the evening went on. He would wait through the stuffy feast, as dish after extravagant dish was brought out. He would wait as the Princess approached the least detestable suitor and offer him the first dance of the evening. He would watch as her skirts twirled magnificently around the Great Hall, threatening to make anyone dizzy that watched too closely. His face would be perfectly neutral, as the party guests grew sloppy, drinking flute after flute of champagne, bumping into him and laying far too curious hands on his arms and shoulders. As the moon rose high in the sky, he would wait for his cue. The Blood Moon would bathe all of Central Hyrule in its warm and menacing glow, and certainly, the Princess would need to escape the festivities for some fresh air.

Then, he would follow behind her, as any good knight would do, as she strolled outside to a balcony, or to a garden, or to wherever, really – he wasn't picky. The Blood Moon would stain her skin crimson red, and she would look up, her emerald green eyes reflecting orange in the moonlight.

In her awe, she wouldn't even notice him reaching down to his boot to grip his dagger.

They would be all alone. The rest of the party would still be in full swing, but by this hour in the evening, the Princess would have time to slip away, undetected. He would step forward, the dagger shining dangerously in the moonlight.

She would know that he was there: he was always there, and by now, the Princess had come to expect it. She might say something – perhaps regarding the boring suitors that tried to woo her that evening. Perhaps about her father, and how had actually wished her a happy birthday that evening. Perhaps about him, and how she was grateful to have found a friend in a world full of strangers.

Perhaps she would even comment on the severity of the moon.

It would be easy, then – child's play, really – to step behind her and grasp her shoulder in an iron grip, so she couldn't move. His hand would be met with soft, bare skin – her dress would be off the shoulder, perhaps – and the warm, silky skin would burn into his hand. He knew that within moments, though, it would as turn cold as Hebra.

She might protest; she might wonder what he was doing, and how he had the audacity to grip her like that. Perhaps, though, she would have wanted it, and would lean into his touch. Her head might rest against his shoulder, her neck completely bare towards him, as her lips found their way to the curve of his jaw.

Yet he knew that he was the best at what he did. She wouldn't have the time to protest or lean into him before the cold metal of his blade reached her jugular.

It would be over in seconds, and that was one of the only things Link despised about quick kills; there was no time to relish and enjoy them.

The blood would splatter like a firework, staining the marble floors red. Any scream would be lost in her throat, as blood bubbled up through the deep laceration. Her head would loll to the side, probably staining his Royal Guard uniform, but that was fine – it would probably improve the atrocity.

He would drop her to the floor without ceremony, watching as her body crumbled beneath her and her head hit the marble with a resonating crack. Her eyes would stare back at him unseeingly; her emerald orbs a dull reflection of the magnificent blood moon.

He would smile then; relishing in the way her blood oozed and flowed from her neck like a fast moving river. If she wasn't dead yet, she would certainly be soon – and he knew that this river only ever flowed one way.

Then, and only then, he might hear the questioning call of a party guest, in search of their Princess. So and so said they had seen the Princess go this way about ten minutes prior, followed by her knight. Though perhaps, he may not hear anyone – as all the guests in the party were too self absorbed with their own agendas to wonder about why they hadn't seen their foolish and failure of a princess in some time.

Either way, it mattered not to Link, as once her heart stopped beating and her lungs stopped breathing, his mission was complete.

He would make his way out of the castle, and out towards the ranch, where he would fetch Epona before riding hard towards the west – towards his home in the shadows of the Karusa Valley. Epona was a good horse – she need not be subject to Ganon's unrelenting hand as he made his return the next day. By morning, he would have arrived back to his clan, and as the sun rose over the horizon, the kingdom of Hyrule would be without their hero and without their dear, beloved Princess.

And then it was time for the real fun to begin.

However, the times that they lived in did not call for any normal circumstances. No, all celebrations were postponed indefinitely, as the Princess had an unfulfilled responsibility towards her kingdom. On the morning of her birthday, she was to make her way with her appointed knight towards the east at dawn, to Kakariko Village. Once there, she was to be met by all four of Hyrule's Champions, and together, they were to escort her to the base of Mount Lanayru.

The Champions were requested – no; ordered – by the King of Hyrule to accompany the Princess and her knight across the Lanayru Promenade. With the increase in Yiga sightings and the magnitude in strength coming from the monsters across the country, the King would take no chances in his daughter's safety to unlock her sacred powers. Indeed, in this day and age, he only would trust Hyrule's chosen Champions with his daughter's wellbeing.

Which was a foolish mistake on his part, really.

And as it was, Mount Lanayru was no place for a seventeen-year-old girl.

The circumstances were ideal as Link set about putting into motion the final phase of his mission. With the Champions accompanying them to the base of Mount Lanayru, they would effectively be far away from the Four Great Relics when his Demon King made his prevailing return. Thus, it would give his clan the time they required to apprehend and take control of all of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts.

And he hadn't even had to slip a word into the King's ear to make this all possible: no, this had all been the King's idea.

Sure, he preferred to kill her in the Great Hall with an audience, but all things considered, this was a good second option.

They left the castle on foot, and made it into Kakariko Village only an hour or so after sunrise, and it came as no surprise to Link to see that all four of the Champions were waiting for them in the center of the village, near the foolish and benign Goddess statue.

At the first sight of the Gerudo Champion, Zelda broke out into a run, far ahead of Link. Her footfalls fell faster and faster on the overgrown path in Kakariko, until she collided with Urbosa, the Champion having braced herself against the impact.

"Little bird," she whispered, coaxing out a small smile from the sad Princess, "It is good to see you well."

"It's good to see you, too," Zelda whispered, "Though I wish it were for longer and more leisurely than an escort to the base of Mount Lanayru."

"For what it's worth, any amount of time that I get to see you is well worth the trip. Also…" Urbosa paused, grasping Zelda's shoulders and looking her in the eye, "Happy Birthday."

That small, sad smile morphed into something that more closely resembled happiness. Close, but not quite, "Thank you, Urbosa. You know, you're the first person to actually say that to me today. Not even my maids this morning wished me a happy birthday."

"Well, we'll be sure to properly celebrate when we get back, and there's nothing your father can do to stop us."

A small laugh bubbled up from Zelda's throat, and Urbosa gave her a mischievous look, wagging her eyebrows.

Beside Urbosa stood the other three Champions. Daruk offered an amicable wave towards the knight, while Revali merely nodded his head once, before turning his attention back towards the Princess.

And Mipha…

Mipha could hardly meet his eyes. She had her head turned down towards the ground, a small smile adorning her features, as she would look up when she thought that Link wasn't looking.

Susceptible as she was, for he was always looking.

"Well, we had better get moving," Zelda muttered, casting her eyes towards the path leading upwards into the mountains, "I would like to begin my prayers by sunset."

With that, the group made their way up the winding paths up and out of Kakariko Village. The way to Mount Lanayru was a sacred place, and thus, the only way to easily make it to the mountain was among the Lanayru Promenade, which was only accessible through the stronghold of Kakariko.

The Lanayru Promenade, Link learned as Zelda babbled on incessantly, cut through an ancient architectural masterpiece, called Spider's Nest Mountain. Its purpose was lost to time as it was left sealed off and forgotten: the entrance long since buried away by debris and collapsed stonework.

"You know, when all of this is said and done, I would love to be able to take an outfit of Sheikah out here to do research on this ancient monument," Zelda said, her eyes lighting up as her fingers trailed along an ancient fountain, watching frogs and tadpoles quiver under its surface, "Though it is not ancient Sheikah, per say, I'm sure that Robbie and Purah would find this place absolutely fascinating. With the research funded by the crown, I'm sure that they would love to discover what's beyond its walls."

As it was, Link did not know why anyone would want to poke their head around to find out why the ancient Hylians named this place 'Spider's Nest'.

The promenade was quiet, tranquil, as they made their way from the western gate to the eastern gate. There, the Champions would stay back, guarding the main entrance to the mountain and shrine while Link took the Princess to the peak of the mountain, _alone_. He was acutely awake of the sharpened, metal dagger he had stowed away in his boot before he had left his quarters that morning. Once at the top of the mountain, there would be no prying eyes, and Link would be free to unsheathe his dagger as the Blood Moon soared high over the mountaintops, and send it downwards into her neck.

Or perhaps into her heart. Really, the possibilities were endless. If he so desired, he could draw it out, prolonging her death and relishing in her screams. He could savor every moment, listening to the ways she cried and pleaded him to stop, wishing for death, begging for mercy.

It wasn't as though anyone would be able to hear her from way up high in the mountain.

His lips coiled upwards, as he pondered his options.

He considered it fair enough payback for all of the shit the Princess had put him through.

Around them, magnificent waterfalls flowed from high above them, the waters glittering and shimmering as they crashed into the waters below. This path, now off limits to the public except those with explicit permission from the crown, was once home to many a pilgrimage of villagers that would visit the three springs to gain the Goddess's blessing. Now, though, with the threat of Calamity Ganon looming over their heads, the promenade was for official business only.

Official business, indeed.

As they reached the Eastern Gate of the promenade, the tension thickened throughout the air. Mount Lanayru, magnificent as she was, stood looming over them, its peaks sprinkled with pure, white snow, like a canvas: blank, and awaiting its masters brush.

Link itched to splatter the canvas in red.

"Well, here goes nothing," Zelda whispered, as she stared at the peak of Mount Lanayru, her hands quivering at her sides.

"You're going to do great," Daruk said, his smile taking up over half of his face, "I, for one, am excited to see the sky light up with your sacred powers when they're finally unlocked."

"Trust the process," Urbosa whispered, giving Zelda's shoulder a tiny squeeze, "Believe in yourself."

"I have faith in you," Mipha whispered, her lips twirling upwards in a benevolent smile.

"Make us proud," Revali whispered, his eyes never once budging from the Princess.

Zelda sighed, her eyes trained on the peak of the mountain. Then, they narrowed in determination, "There's always the chance that the next moment will change everything," she whispered, before turning slightly towards Link, "Well then, shall we?"

Link nodded, and with a quick wave towards the other Champions, Link and Zelda made their way down the winding path leading to the base of the mountain.

Link had to admit; the Princess's final goodbye to her Champions was lackluster at best. Yet, he could hardly blame her. Not everyone was so lucky as to know the hour of their death.

The path to the Spring of Wisdom went in a spiral up the sides of the mountain. The Princess, clad in her riding pants and Champion's tunic, did not need much else to help combat against the elements until halfway up, when she slowly, quietly, requested her jacket from Link, without so much as another word.

The way was silent – deafening – as only the cold, brisk winds howled around the two Hylians. As they travelled, the grass, luscious and green, slowly began to freeze over, before it was covered completely by layers of snow – undisturbed upon the sacred mountain. Link could see Zelda begin to shiver in front of him, even with her jacket clutched tightly around her. True, it was cold, but the peaks of Mount Lanayru had nothing on a cold, brisk night in the middle of the Gerudo Desert.

They reached the top of the mountain in the late afternoon, and Zelda stared in wonder at the spring – it was the first time in her young life that she had ever laid eyes on it.

Link did not understand what the big deal was – it looked just like the other two springs.

And just like the other two springs, a pool of water lay at the feet of the Goddess statue.

There was no way that water could still be in liquid form, given the temperature, and yet, there it was: glistening and blinding against the late afternoon sun – shining almost pure white.

And the Princess thought that she was going to just waltz right in there to begin her prayers? She would catch her death.

Which would render him both useless and redundant.

"Zelda," Link questioned, taking a step in front of her, placing himself between her and the icy cold waters, "You're not actually planning on stepping into the spring to pray, are you?"

Zelda gave him the most bizarre look, "Well, not like this," she said, reaching towards her bag, "I have to get changed into my prayer dress first."

Alarm bells went off inside Link's head. The Princess was actually thinking of going through with the full prayer rituals, even within the freezing waters of Mount Lanayru.

"I don't think that's wise," Link said, slowly, as she took a step away from him. He took a step towards her, "Princess, the temperature is well below freezing. There's no way that you'll survive kneeling in the water."

"I must prove my devotion to the Goddess of Wisdom," Zelda whispered.

"There is nothing wise about kneeling in below freezing waters, Zelda, and you know this," Link said, giving her a pointed look, "Use that head of yours. Why would your Goddess subject you to a torment like that?"

"Perhaps it's a test," Zelda bristled, "to see which of her followers are most resilient."

"All that 'test' will do is make you dead," Link said, bluntly, "I don't think that will help out our cause much."

"Well, then what would you suggest?" Zelda snapped, "O Chosen One – pray tell me, since you seem to know more than me about these ancient rituals: what would you have me do instead?"

Link sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Zelda was certainly stressed, given that this was the last of the three springs. All that _he_ needed from her was for her to stay alive until the moon shined blood red over them.

And quite frankly, after that, it didn't really matter what she wanted to do.

He gestured towards the spring, "How about a blanket, perhaps? Just before the water. You can kneel on the blanket to pray. You'll still be close enough to the Goddess Statue for her to hear you, without putting yourself in harms way."

"She can't hear me."

"What?"

"You heard me," Zelda whispered, turning away from him to face the statue, "I have pleaded with her for the last decade now, and still: with no sign from her whatsoever. She either doesn't hear me or doesn't care to hear me. I've pleaded with her at the last two springs with only the sounds of my own useless prayers for company. I suppose you're right though: there's no reason for me to do this correctly since it won't make a difference anyways."

Zelda tilted her head towards the ground, in an attempt to hide her face from him. Two lone tears dotted her eyes and raced towards her chin, leaving pathways alongside glistening cheeks, "She must have gotten it wrong: picked the wrong girl. She can't hear me because I'm not who I think I am. I'm an imposter: I don't have this sacred power."

Link's mind flashed back to just outside of the Shrine of Resurrection on the Great Plateau: watching as he saw her hand dimly flash in the late afternoon sun. While it had certainly just been a trick of the light, he couldn't help but wonder if that was, in fact, this power that she had strove to hard to find.

That he strove so hard to keep from her.

"Zelda," Link whispered, taking a step towards her and switching tactics, "Everything you have done up has been leading up until this moment. The fact of the matter is, we don't know what, or how your sacred powers will be unlocked, but we know they will. Your Goddess would not have made a mistake in picking the wrong girl. You have this power. You just have to persevere."

"That's the second time you've said that," Zelda whispered, her head tilting up towards his, " _Your_ Goddess. As though you do not associate with her."

Shit. He hadn't meant to say that, but the truth simply had a way of getting out.

Perhaps the truth would set him free.

"I'm not on the best of terms with the Goddess," Link whispered, running a hand through his hair, "I know it's blasphemy, and not something I should probably be telling the Princess of Hyrule, but it's true. After my mother's death, I found it hard to believe in a deity that could be so horrible as to let her die."

"I'm not on the best of terms with her, either," Zelda said, and Link could not help but bark out a laugh at the way her eyes darted between him and the blank stare of the Goddess statue, "But you pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal. Shouldn't that be enough?"

"It will never be enough," Link whispered, breaking his eyes away from Zelda, "My mother is gone, and that can never be reversed.

"I understand," Zelda whispered, before turning towards the spring, a thoughtful look in her eye, "I suppose I wouldn't be off the mark to suggest that you think this pilgrimage is just a waste of time."

"I wouldn't say that," Link lied easily, his eyes flickering towards hers, "While I may not have the best relationship with her, the only thing I have to do is wield this sword when the time comes. You, on the other hand, rely greatly on having a firm, righteous relationship with the Goddess. It hasn't worked yet – you're right about that. But this spring might be the catalyst that unlocks that power for you."

Zelda nodded, turning back towards the spring, "Very well. I will try once more to convene with the Goddess. I'll kneel on the blanket just beyond the waters. Perhaps today will be the day that we will gaze upon her benevolence. There's always the chance that the next moment will change everything."

Link assembled the Princess's tent hastily, providing her a space where she would be able to change into her prayer dress away from the elements – and in effect, away from his prying eyes. She emerged in her dress and boots – her sandals thoughtfully tucked away in her pack. Her warm jacket was draped her shoulders, blocking the late afternoon sunlight from shining blindly off of her porcelain shoulders.

As the sun began to set, it painted the sky in warm shades of magenta and orange. Zelda then knelt, on the warm blanket set just before the icy cold waters.

Even with all of the precautions taken, the Princess was still shivering against the cold as she began her prayers – and with the sun disappearing over the horizon, it was only going to get colder.

But it mattered not: in just a few hours, she would shiver no longer.

Link stood guard at the entrance to the shrine, the tip of the Master Sword digging into the shallow ice and snow. His gaze was set towards the east, awaiting the telltale crimson glow of the moon cascading over the horizon. It would leap over the Lanayru Sea, a beacon on the horizon, and it would be impossible to miss or ignore.

As the last rays of sun disappeared in the dusk, the sky turned to twilight: the stars shining brightly overhead, in perfect witness to what would transpire. Indeed, besides the glow from the stars, the sacred Mount Lanayru was dark: with the only light reflecting off of the translucent icy banks at the peak of the mountain. There was no campfire present – no extraneous light. Link would have only the glow of the vicious Blood Moon to guide him.

Then, it was so subtle Link almost missed it. To the east, the sky at the horizon began to shift from an endless black to a deep, deep red. It was almost imperceptible. Yet, as midnight grew closer and closer, so did the sky: growing brighter and brighter, the rays of light staining the sky a dark, malicious red.

The Blood Moon was almost startling as it soared over the horizon, its malice curdling and oozing in the night sky. Link's dagger weighed heavily against his leg, and he looked over his shoulder to check to see that the Princess was not looking.

The Princess, devoted as she was, was deep in prayer, and had yet to notice the way the moon cast crimson shadows over Mount Lanayru, or how the winds began to pick up around them, or how they carried a scent so foul it made Link's eyes water. He shook his head, clearing his vision as he bent down towards his boot, lifting his dagger from it. He watched as the reflection of the clouds stormed by, glistening gently across the knife of the blade. He then saw himself in the reflection, his eyes reflecting a deep violet in the moonlight, his eyebrows scrunched and lips parted.

The metal felt heavy in his hands, and he gripped it harder, his knuckles turning white, even in the glow of the moon. He pursed his lips and steeled himself: there was no turning back now, not when he was this close to achieving his goal. He stepped towards the Princess, the sounds of his boots crunching against the snow and ice muffled against the roar of the winds. He would have but a moment to do this if he were to do it correctly. The moon would need to be directly overhead, at its apex, bathing them in the light of its power.

He saw it in his mind's eye: he would grab her shoulder, and plunge the dagger into her neck. He imagined the waters in the spring would stain red, as her blood oozed into it: her life supply billowing out like a cumulus cloud. He felt his stomach churn at the thought, yet pushed it down. Now was not the time to be caught up in the gory details.

It was so simple; so easy. Any assassin could have done this, and yet Link himself was given the honor. He would go down in history in the Great Yiga Clan, as the assassin who clotted the Blood of the Goddess.

Even in its simplicity, Link felt his stomach lurch as he took a final step forward, his hands sweating in the cold, brisk air. All he had to do was drive the dagger home into her neck. He imagined her cold, dead eyes staring back at him in horror. Perhaps she may still be alive as she took him in. He would be able to see the sharp realization hit her, be able to see the delicious betrayal wash across her face before certain death stole it all away.

All he had to do was stab her.

By now, the wind was careening violently against them, and Link watched how the Princess's hair was buffeted by the storm. He knew if he wanted any longer, the Princess may seek shelter from the storm, or he may miss his only chance at offering up the Princess's power to his Demon King.

He was still waiting, and he willed himself to move. His legs felt like lead beneath him, his arms weighed down with stones. He was frozen in place, like the snow and ice beneath him had his feet and legs stuck to the ground. It was so simple: he just had to do it.

Why couldn't he move?

Around him, wisps of malice coated the air, each one slick like oil, threatening to seethe and burn any who dared to touch it. In the light of the moon, he saw his and Zelda's shadows against the storm: hers, knelt in deep and righteous prayer – his, standing just beyond her, with the unmistakable shadow of his dagger puncturing the canvas.

It was now or never.

There was no more room for error: no room for mistakes. The fate of the Yiga Clan rested with him.

He lifted his dagger high in the air, his blade shining bright red against the moon.

_Happy Birthday, Zel._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have it kind of head-canoned that Link's birthday is on the autumnal equinox and Zelda's is on the spring equinox. There's no real reason behind it, except for the fact that I like it.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! I will see you all next week!


	18. Chapter 18

He had been _weak_.

Link's nose twitched, as he thought back to those crucial moments on the peak of Mount Lanayru. The dagger was in his hand – the Blood Moon was directly above him. Everything had been going according to plan, and then, like a fool: he panicked.

His heart rate had sped up, and he couldn't breathe. Suddenly, he couldn't do it: the thought of assassinating the Princess had seized him entirely, and any move towards her conjured a pain deep inside him that he couldn't explain. Black dots circled his vision, and he willed himself to just reached out and grab her: plunge the dagger in her neck, twist her neck and break it from her shoulders, pin her down in the waters of the spring until she drowned. Something – anything!

But instead, he had stumbled backwards, his grip loosening from his dagger. He watched it fall, as it toppled over the side of the sacred mountain, as it disappeared into the endless abyss. Zelda had hardly even noticed, as she stayed perfectly still in firm prayer. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the Blood Moon was over. The moon shined benevolently overhead: calm and clear and _blue_ , and Link had lost his one chance at offering up the Princess's powers to his Demon King.

He had failed, he had been _weak,_ and his moment of weakness was going to cost his clan everything.

Failure was not an option in the Yiga Clan, and traitors would not be tolerated.

By now, Master Kohga and the rest of the Yiga Clan would be gearing up for the second phase of their mission. With the Princess assumed dead, her powers sacrificed, and Link on his way back to his clan, it would only be a matter of time before their Demon King called on them once more, and they would be called to set fire once again to the land. As it was, Link was on the clear opposite side of the country, walking at the snail-pace speed of the Princess down the side of the mountain towards their Champions.

The way down the mountainside was silent as Link and Zelda made their way back to the Lanayru Promenade. The sun was just beginning to lower in the sky, in that late afternoon sunset. As suspected, Zelda hadn't heard anything from her Goddess during her prayers, and as suspected, she did not want to talk about it.

Which, given the circumstances, was far more than she should have been able to do in that moment.

The Champions stood out against the crumbling architecture of Spider's Nest Mountain, and suddenly, Link didn't think it so bad to find the lost entrance and dive in head first with the Princess. Perhaps the monsters that resided in there would be more merciful than his Demon King.

They approached the four other Champions in silence, Link falling into step just behind the Princess. He had half expected for her to speak first, to proclaim that though she had tried her hardest, she did not hear or feel anything up at the spring.

However, it seemed that the Princess had lost her ability to speak.

As it was, it was the Glorified Rock that spoke first, his voice like gravel, penetrating the silence, "Well? Don't keep us in suspense. How'd everything go up there on the mountain?"

Well first off, Link had failed to complete the most important mission within the Yiga Clan. Similarly, Zelda had failed, too. She still had yet to uncover her sacred powers needed to save her country.

Perhaps the two weren't so different from each other than previously thought. Both were failures in their own rights.

Zelda, not trusting her voice still, simply shook her head in reply, unable to meet the searching gazes of her Champions.

The silence was deafening, all four of her Champions looking towards her with varying expressions of resignation and pity. It was clear that after all of the work the Princess had put in thus far, wielding zero results, they weren't surprised that this pilgrimage proved to be fruitless as well.

"So you didn't feel anything?" It was the Hallow Boned Hawk that spoke next, his tone gentle in response to the ever-growing tension, "No power at all?"

"I'm sorry, no," Zelda whispered. Her voice was much smaller than Link had ever heard it. He felt the foreign urge to reach out towards her, and in his humility from his lack of actions on the mountain, he didn't think to squash it.

"Then let's move on," the Die-Hard Feminist's brassy voice cut through the tension, shaking the Champions all out of whatever hope-ridden fog they had all been in, "You've done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won't be of any help. You'll just have to try something else. After all, it's not like your last shot was up there on Mount Lanayru. Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that… thing."

Zelda's shoulders shook, almost imperceptible from where Link was standing: but they were shaking no doubt. It was the evidence of her trying to be calm and trying to keep her emotions in check, but failing miserably.

Like in everything else she did.

"That's kind of you," her voice bled with an undertone that begged no argument, "Thank you."

"If I may…" The Royal Trout spoke up, uttering her first words throughout the entire trip, "I thought you… well, I'm not sure how to put this into words… I'm actually quite embarrassed to say it."

She couldn't even spit it out, the insufferable thing. She wrung her hands in front of her, pointedly not even looking in the direction of Link.

She continued, "But I was thinking about what I do when I'm healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind…" she finally looked up then, with a determined look in her eyes, "it helps when I think… when I think about –"

She was cut off abruptly, the words on the tip of her tongue fading to nothing in the deep rattle of the world around them. The Champions all staggered and Zelda nearly toppled over. Link reached out towards her, steadying her, every instinct in his body burning and screaming with the need to protect her. The instinct was jarring – it was painful.

It was the same instinct that had made him drop his dagger on the cliffs of Mount Lanayru.

The ground roared in a way that was familiar to Link, and the air hardened and chilled around them, both stale and malicious. In that moment, he knew without a doubt that his Demon King had returned, as the sun set on Hyrule and turned to twilight.

Link could feel his Demon King materializing towards the west, and his body itched to grow closer to it. He felt it in his blood and his bones, and his pores begged to soak up the malice and strengthen him further. He was at an impasse – with the instinct to protect and the instinct to kill. It was like he was being pulled in two separate directions, both equally ferocious and determined. He was pulled taut – any further and he would surely snap. It made him want to double over and scream, but he fought against it and stood his ground, steeling his face against the anguish and agony radiating from deep inside him.

No one seemed to notice his struggle in their own confusion. Revali snapped out of it, and soared high into the air, his gale whipping everyone into vigilance as he flew higher and higher, peering over the Lanayru Heights.

Link knew what he would find, and didn't need to look up to see the look of pure shock, astonishment, and fear that broke through Revali's stoic mask. One look at Zelda told him that she instinctually knew what he would find too, as her face already betrayed the terror and horror of how willfully unprepared they were.

They had no way of stopping it.

It felt like eons had passed before Revali soared back down to the ground, his beak firmly clasped as the first waves of malice began to engulf the dusk sky.

"It's here."

"This is it, then."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"It's awake… Ganon…" Zelda whispered, as she stumbled backwards away from the ever-spreading malice enveloping the sky. She looked ready to flee, in a foolish attempt to try and outrun her destiny.

"Let's stop wasting time," Daruk said, and Link began to understand just why he was called the Great Daruk. He took the lead, his eyes hardened in determination as he formulated a plan. The Champions hung onto his words like a lifeline, "We're gonna need everything we got to take that thing down. Now Champions: to your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who's boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack, this needs to be a unified assault!" He turned towards Link then, his eyes betraying an emotion that Link was used to extracting: fear, "Little guy, you get to Hyrule Castle. Wait for our signal. You'll have the power of the Divine Beasts on your side: you can count on us for support. But it's up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!"

Link nodded, noticing how Revali scoffed out of the corner of his eye. It mattered not, though.

He would be dead by morning.

"Come. We should go," Urbosa had materialized behind the Princess, then, steering her towards the west, "We need to get you some place safe."

Then, like the turning of a switch, Zelda's entire demeanor shifted. No longer was she backing up away from the threat. Now, she was unflinching, as she shrugged Urbosa's strong hands off of her, "No, I'm not a child anymore! I'm not going to run away from this. If nothing else, perhaps facing Ganon head on will be that final catalyst to unlock these powers."

"Little Bird, you can't be serious…"

"There's still the chance that the next moment may change everything. I may not be much use on the battlefield… but there must…" she looked up then, and Link caught a glimpse into the Queen she could have been, "There must be something I can do to help!

"You're right," Urbosa whispered, squeezing the Princess's shoulder gently, "And if I'm not mistaken, the prophecy foretells that you two are to do this together," she turned towards Link then, and Link saw a fire deep within the Gerudo Chief's eyes that had not been present before, "You remember what I told you while you were in my lands? Well, it extends to you now, as well. You protect her with your _life_. Do you understand?"

The Princess was to go with him, straight to Calamity Ganon.

Straight to his Demon King.

Perhaps it was not too late to offer up her powers.

Perhaps hope for his clan was not lost after all.

Link nodded, as he felt the pieces to his plan come together once more.

Then, the ground shook once again under the feet, threatening to dislodge them and make them stumble.

Like a cloud blocking the sun's rays, the Lanayru Promenade was cast in darkness. From the Calamity's epicenter, four distinct shadows hurdled overhead in a way that Link had anticipated, yet was equally as startling.

It was Ganon's malice, oozing and burning throughout the twilight sky. It stretched far out from the center, reaching four corners of Hyrule so recognizable, even the other Champions could not help but gasp in horror and disbelief.

They felt it long before it actually hit. Revali doubled over, crying out, "No! – not Medoh!"

"Ruta!"

"He's going after Rudania!"

"How dare he – Naboris will spit him out!"

"What's going on?" Zelda whispered, her voice riddled with panic, "What's happening?"

"Ganon is trying to commandeer control of my Divine Beast," Revali spat, spreading his wings out beside him, "Not on my watch! Ganon will rue the day he ever messed with the Pride of the Rito."

Link had anticipated the Yiga Clan manually taking control of the Divine Beasts, but this… this was on a whole other level.

With a flurry of wind, Revali disappeared into the air, making a beeline straight towards the northwest. As Revali disappeared into a speck on the horizon, Link could not help the revelation that he would never have to hear the narcissistic bastard's voice ever again.

There was no way to survive this kind of assault.

"You guys be safe out there," Daruk said, turning towards the west, "Remember: wait for our support! _Then_ beat Ganon to a pulp!"

"Whatever you do, you keep yourself safe, Little Bird," Urbosa whispered, placing a light kiss on Zelda's forehead, "I need not remind you that you're the last of Hylia's Bloodline. Hyrule is nothing without its queen."

"Wait – Urbosa!" But she was already gone, sprinting along the same path that Daruk had taken towards the west – towards their undeniable doom.

Which just left a single Champion dragging their feet.

Mipha looked conflicted, like she didn't know whether to stay or whether to go. She took an apprehensive step towards Link and Zelda, her eyes darting towards the north where she knew Ruta stood, infested with malice.

Link knew that this would be the last time he would ever see his childhood friend. She stood before him, alive and well, but he knew that in just a couple of hours, she would be dead by her own Divine Beast. It was the way things were meant to be.

After all, it was he who had set the plan in motion by giving his master the blueprints to the Four Great Relics.

Still, he couldn't help but feel a sense of deep nostalgia and sadness for the friendship they once had. That friendship was long gone – gone with the death of his mother and Mipha's inability to help; gone with the long five years he had left behind his former life; gone with his allegiance to the Yiga Clan.

Yet still – he supposed it was a gift that his Demon King had given him: to know the hour of her death and be able to say his goodbyes properly. Most people wouldn't get that; Zelda certainly wouldn't.

"Link," Mipha whispered, her voice barely audible as she reached out and clasped his hand into hers. A cold, clammy fin met his warm, dry hand, and he had to shove down the instinct to shiver and recoil, "I'm not sure what is going to happen after today, but you must keep fighting, no matter what."

"I will," Link whispered, glancing up at the sky as the malice spread further and faster, like a plague.

"Both of you," she turned towards Zelda, and Link could have sworn he saw tears just on the edge of her eyes, "Stay safe. All of Hyrule is counting on you. You must stay safe. You must survive."

"We'll see you soon, Mipha," Zelda whispered, the corners of her lips turning upwards in a forced smile.

"I should hope not," Mipha said, choosing not to look into the puzzled faces of both Champions, "Where I am going, I would be loath to see you both. The sun is setting: I must go… and face my fate with Ruta."

Swiftly, she ran west, but not before lifting herself onto the tips of her toes and placing a chaste kiss on Link's cheek. Then, as quickly as it had happened, she was gone, diving into the waters of the Lanaryu Promenade. Once she hit water, she was instantly out of sight: with the ripples of water the only evidence that she had been there at all.

And then Link and Zelda were alone, once again.

Zelda turned towards Link then, and it was clear to him that despite everything, she had not yet realized the severity of the situation, "What do we do now?"

"We head to Kakariko," Link said, as he pulled the Princess into a jog down the Lanayru Promenade, "Once there, we can take two horses from the Sheikah and head straight to Hyrule Castle."

Zelda nodded, as she followed swiftly behind him, her speed and endurance surprising to Link, "What will we do once we get to the castle?"

That was the golden question that Link was still trying to formulate an answer to. In theory, he had a second chance: a second chance to deliver the Princess straight to Ganon himself, with the hopes that he would have some use still for her. He knew that his previous actions would not go without consequence: he was still a traitor to his clan, and would accept the punishment befitting of traitors, but perhaps his King still had some use for her.

It was also possible that his Demon King was strong enough that he had no need for the Princess's powers to be sacrificed to him.

He jumped over a break in the road, reaching out his hand to help the Princess across, "We face Ganon," Link whispered, meeting her eyes for the first time since the Champion's departure, "We'll wait for the other Champions to gain back control of their beasts, and we will wait for their cue. With any luck, your powers will be discovered upon facing him."

He knew without a doubt that the Champion's efforts to commandeer control of their Divine Beasts would be in vain. However Ganon had managed to take over the controls was beyond him, but he knew Ganon would not go down without a fight. Master Kohga would have communed every detail of those blueprints to their Demon King, uncovered every secret weapon, and exploited every trick that the Champions thought they had up their sleeve.

They made it to Kakariko as the last rays of sun disappeared from the sky. However, rather than a starry night sky greeting them, they were met with clouds of malice overhead, staining the stronghold a feverish magenta.

Zelda was out of breath – her chest heaving. The bottom of her dress was soiled from where they had run straight through a puddle of murky waters instead of going around it, yet the Princess did not seem to notice, nor seemed to care. They ran down the steep slope, heading straight for the stables, when a firm voice stopped them.

"Captain!"

It was like an itch he couldn't scratch away.

One of his soldiers came running up to him from the western end of the village. He looked winded, his red hair bouncing erratically against his oversized skull. Ah yes, it was that foolish man from his guard – the one with the name he still could not conjure up.

Was it truce? Noose?

Boy, did he want to tie a noose around his neck and string him up high in the rafters of his clan's hideout.

"Captain," the foolish man said, "Hyrule Castle has been attacked by Calamity Ganon."

No shit.

"You think I don't already know this?" Link spat out, shoving past the man and hauling the Princess with him, "We're heading there right now."

"What? I mean – no, you can't," said the stupid knight, "Commander Impa has ordered that the Princess be kept here in Kakariko. She said that the two of you are not to be left alone."

"I beg your pardon," Link's voice grew dangerous then, as he took a step towards the man, "Commander Impa said this? If we do that, then all of Hyrule will be dead by morning. You are to let us pass."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," the glorified bag of bricks said, "Commander's orders."

He thought for a moment to simply nod: to follow the orders of his Commander. He humored the thought of leaning towards the incessant instinct within him that so desperately wanted to spare the Princess's life. He thought for a moment to keep the Princess within the safe stronghold of Kakariko. Safe – at least – for now. He thought for a moment that each borrowed minute the Princess spent alive was worth each civilian life that Ganon consumed.

Instead of that, however, he swung his arm back and punched the obtuse man, his knuckles slamming into his temple with a resonating crack.

From behind him, Link heard the Princess cry out upon seeing the man's huge body topple to the ground, but it mattered not to Link: they had places to be, and he was not about to allow one of his knights to stop them.

He grabbed the Princess's cold hand and tugged her along towards the stables, avoiding any of the Sheikah or soldiers that had heard the man's outburst. With zero preamble, Link lifted the Princess onto the back of the first horse that he reached. Rather than risk separation, he climbed on behind her, and leaned over her slightly as he kicked the horse into a fierce gallop, nearly running over an old artist in the process.

He made for the Sahasra Slopes, knowing full well that it was the most direct path towards Hyrule Castle. The horse from Kakariko was lean, its hooves barely touching the ground before airborne again. It was clear to Link that this horse was bred specifically for speed, and in that moment, Link was actually grateful to those blasted Sheikah.

From behind him, he heard the yells of said Sheikah, demanding him to stop, to cease and desist, yet heard not the pounding of hooves behind him in pursuit.

It would seem that even they refused to go near Hyrule Castle.

"Link," Zelda gasped, her fingers desperately clutching the reins of the horse as they rounded the corner from Kakariko, "That soldier – that knight – he said that Impa demanded us not to be left alone. What did he mean by that."

"The Commander's a fool," Link growled into her ear as he took the reins from her and whipped them, "Our only shot at saving the country is by facing Ganon head on."

The lie on his lips even sounded like one, and the Princess looked over her shoulder at him warily, her eyes struggling to reach his before they rounded the final corner in the canyon, and Hyrule Castle came into view.

It was Link's sharp inhale that made Zelda turn around, and she could not help but gasp at the sight of her home, burning and swirling with deep pools of malice.

Around Hyrule Castle, five pillars had erupted from deep beneath the ground surrounding the moat of Hyrule Castle, and even from their distance away from the castle, Link could see the heads of the guardians swirling as they were ejected from the pillars, each of them glowing a bright malicious magenta.

And Hyrule Castle Town was burning.

"No!" Zelda cried out, as Link pushed their horse further, "Ganon's attacking all of Castle Town… all of those civilians!"

"We'll save them," Link lied, and even if he had the best of interests at heart, he knew that it was a foolish promise: there was no way to save those people from what was destined to happen.

"The Guardians," Zelda nodded, as she watched one of them crawl its way up into the castle, "They'll protect the people. That's what they're meant to do. They'll help to evacuate the citizens from the town and get them to safety."

Link did not have the heart to point out to her that the Guardians were the exact same color as the malice swirling around the castle.

"Do you see those pillars, Link?" Zelda asked with the ghost of a smile on her lips, pointing a dainty finger towards the castle, "We were right. They _are_ real. They _were_ beneath Hyrule Castle. We were just looking in the wrong place."

They road up towards the Sacred Grounds and then dismounted. It looked though Ganon had already wrecked havoc on the land. Trees were on fire, grass was burnt, and much of the stonework of the Sacred Grounds was broken and crumbling.

From the broken gates to Castle Town, surviving citizens poured out, grasping onto each other, their clothes burnt and soiled, and their faces coated with a fine layer of ash. They were running – nowhere and anywhere – anywhere but there, and if they even saw the Princess and her knight in their panic, they didn't show it.

From inside the broken gates to Castle Town, Link and Zelda could only hear the dulled screams and blasts of explosions.

The blast from the explosion was unmistakable, and Link caught the moment in Zelda's eyes when she realized what they were coming from.

"Impossible…" she whispered, and before Link could even reach out to stop her, she was running – running into the broken gates of her flaming city.

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Link followed behind the Princess, catching up with her as she breached the gates. She was so small, against the Great Gates of Castle Town, and even smaller still, against the fiery inferno that had engulfed her town.

The city was unrecognizable. Shops and homes alike were set ablaze, the smell of wood and bodies burning making the Princess grasp desperately at her nose. Around them, people were pushing past them, running away from something. Under normal evacuation procedures, soldiers would be assisting the citizens in a safe and orderly escape. However, given the circumstances, it was a chaotic free for all as the soldiers were nowhere to be seen.

However, a quick scan over the tops of the burning buildings confirmed Link's suspicions and simultaneously made his blood run cold.

The guardians were clearly out numbered, but the soldiers were clearly outmatched. There were nearly six soldiers fighting against one guardian, and yet the guardians were systematically picking them off one by one. Around them lay the corpses of soldiers and civilians alike – none discriminated against in death.

They reached the once beautiful town fountain, now turned to rubble and still warm from a recent blast. From the pillars, more and more guardians were being ejected – each one swiveling out like a screw. None of these guardians, however, reflected that calm, benevolent cerulean that the Princess was used to. No, each of these guardians radiated a treacherous magenta, and as each of their sharp eyes landed on a group of civilians, it did not think twice before aiming its laser.

Then, like a warning, the ground shuddered once more beneath them. Link's eyes were directed upwards, towards ever-growing pools of malice swirling around the castle.

The Demon King emerged from the cloud of malice, oozing and festering until he began to resemble a shape recognizable by mere mortals. A great snout formed from the malice, and two glowing yellow eyes burst open with a sickening squelch, before they turned and locked on them.

Link was frozen, staring wide-eyed up at his Demon King. This was what he had wanted all along, right? This was what he had been working towards for the last five years.

This was what his mission was working to resurrect, right?

"Link," Zelda breathed, grasping his tunic, "We are to wait for the other Champions, right? You can't face him alone, can you? We need their support. Why haven't they activated their beasts yet?"

Link knew the answer, and yet his tongue felt dry and his blood drained from his face. This was it, his moment to redeem himself. All he had to do was push the Princess in front of him as Ganon dove down. He was in the middle of Hyrule Castle Town with soldiers and civilians alike, and this act of treason would not be viewed as an accident. He would have to make haste following his Demon King devouring the Princess.

That same instinct from before tugged at his gut and threatened to suffocate him. He pushed that instinct down, but a mere mortal could not silence it.

"Link," Zelda shook his shoulder, her eyes wide as they were locked on the Calamity, "I don't feel it – the power – what do we do? Where are the Champions?"

The Demon King roared, shaking the very foundations of the castle. Link saw a spire crumble under the sheer vibrations of its force. The Demon King lunged forward, its malice billowing behind him, and dove down towards the Princess and her hero.

Link did not think in this moment – he made a decision and he relied solely on instinct.

He grabbed the Princess's hand and ran.

He ran like his life depended on it, back out the Great Gates of Castle Town, away from the castle, away from the Calamity – away, away, away.

His mission didn't matter anymore. It was all forfeit. He wasn't sure what he had wanted before his resurrection, but he knew now in this moment that none of it was worth it. He felt the malice radiating off of the Demon King behind him, and he dared not to turn around to see just how close he was to him and the Princess. They stumbled, as they tripped over the remains of a civilian. The person was unrecognizable, their skin having been burnt entirely to charcoal.

Link adverted his gaze and pressed onwards, not thinking to stop as he heard Zelda's cry of horror from behind him. They didn't have time to stop to mourn such life lost: they might not have the time to save their own lives.

Link pulled Zelda out of the Great Gates of Castle Town and back onto the Hyrule Fields. Their horse was long gone, having either been taken by a lucky civilian or having run off on it's own accord.

As of that moment, the threat was contained within the crumbling walls of Castle Town. None of the guardians had made it out –

Instinct told him to duck for cover, and instinct had so far kept him alive. He dove over Zelda, knocking her to the side. In the next second, the fields exploded in flames, exactly where they were standing before. Link's eyes widened, as he saw what was once the impenetrable wall of Castle Town now turned to mere rubble with two Guardians standing atop it, and more climbing out of the city.

And one had its laser locked on him and the Princess.

Link whipped out his shield, thinking back to his last and only encounter with an aggressive guardian. At the time, it had just been one guardian, and that guardian was well contained within the courtyard of Hyrule Castle.

Now, there were dozens more, and they were crawling like spiders all across the Hyrule Fields, towards the outer towns.

There wouldn't be a safe place for miles.

And to think, all of this – the sabotage of the Divine Beasts and Guardians – it had all been _Link's_ idea.

He braced his shield in front of him with one hand, moving Zelda farther back behind him with his other. Then, the beam of light shot out from the Guardians in an angry flurry in one second, and in the next, Link felt the energy pushing him back, its power somehow stronger than it had felt when he had faced one so long ago.

As he had done then, though, he pushed the energy back, and watched it cascade and hit the center of the guardian's eye.

Same as before, the guardians exploded in a flurry, with mechanical parts and bits raining beside it.

However, that was where the similarities ended.

In the next moment, Link's stomach dropped felt three distinct lasers honing in on him and the Princess. He could defend the Princess against one laser, but three was cutting it close. His head snapped back and forth between the three lasers, as he calculated which one would fire off first.

What he hadn't anticipated was all three firing at the same time.

He pushed back as hard as he could with his shield, but the sheer force of the blast flung him back, colliding with the Princess. He cried out as he felt both skin and fabric ignite under the force of the explosions, and desperately held up his shield in a pathetic attempt to protect both him and Zelda.

Then, the weight from his hands crumbled.

And his shield shattered right before his eyes.

From the scattered debris of his ruined Royal Shield, the three beams of energy shot off in random directions, missing their targets entirely.

As it was, they were cornered, with no way out. The guardians stalked towards them, each mechanical leg striking hard against the burnt soil. They were trapped against the crumbling walls of Castle Town.

"Princess," Link warned, as he pulled out the Master Sword from its scabbard, leveling it with both hands, "If you see a window, I need you to run."

"Link, I won't leave you."

" _Zelda,"_ he whispered, and that same foreign instinct from deep within him begged and pleaded against his bones, desperate to save her at whatever cost.

The guardians closed in, and Link noticed with a vague sort of irony that the Master Sword shined bright blue in the darkness, a sheer contrast from the radiating malice from Calamity Ganon.

Perhaps there was some truth to this Blade of Evil's Bane.

However, he had no time to ponder such things. He had no time to think on the pure irony of a Lieutenant of the Yiga Clan, not only wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness, but also protecting the Princess from the very being he had worshiped.

Then, there was a burst from his left, and suddenly all three Guardians were attacked, each fending off at least four Hyrulean Soldiers and Royal Guards alike.

"Captain!" It was impossible to see where the voice came in the commotion, but Link whipped his head towards the left anyways, struggling to find the man that had called for him, "Take the Princess and run!" the voice called again, "We'll handle these guys, just _go!"_

He didn't need to be told twice to get the hell out of there to live another moment longer. Link grabbed Zelda's hand and ran through an opening between two of the guardians, watching as a guardian picked up a soldier in its massive claw and crushed his torso.

He supposed that might brand him as a coward, but his men told him to run, and his instincts told him to run, and so run he did with the Princess in tow.

And to be honest, coward was preferable to _traitor,_ which was how the Yiga Clan would view him now.

Though wouldn't the Royal Family have labeled him traitor anyways?

Wasn't this what he wanted?

He ran towards the southeast as it began to rain, each raindrop cold and burning against his skin. Zelda stumbled behind him, but he pulled her forward anyways. They couldn't stop; stopping meant certain death.

"Link, where are we going?"

It was a simple question that Link found he had no answer to. Where _could_ they go? Was there any place in Hyrule that was safe from Ganon's wrath? During his tenure with the Yiga Clan, he would laugh and say no, but now? Well, there had to be a place safe.

And they were just there not even a couple hours ago.

"Kakariko," Link breathed, pulling her along through the now drizzling rain, "We'll head back to Kakariko. The stronghold is the safest place to go this close to the castle."

Once in Kakariko, they just might have a moment to catch their breaths. Only then, would Link take a good hard look at himself, and evaluate this newfound instinct and pure desperation that tugged at his muscles and urged him to go against everything he had believed in.

It was like the last five years had been all for nothing.

"What about my father?" Zelda gasped, her eyes wide as they blinked against the rain, "What if he didn't make it out of the castle? We have to go back!"

"There's no going back," Link hissed over his shoulder, refusing to let her wrist fall out of his grip, "Your father – and you, if you had been in the castle – would have been smuggled out and rendezvous to the Great Plateau. Commander Impa briefed me on all evacuations when I became your appointed knight. He's as safe as he can be now."

Then, the ground shook beneath them, and from the four corners of Hyrule came shrill roars and cries that sent shivers down Link's spine. Link reached out to Zelda, holding her as her foot stumbled and she lost her balance. While Link had his suspicions on where the roars came from, Zelda's face all but confirmed them.

"The Champions…" Zelda whispered, her eyes darting around her, growing wide, "They couldn't tame their beast. Ganon still has control of them. They can't escape!"

"We have to keep moving," Link grit out, pulling her from behind him, as her once pristine sandals sloshed in the mud, "We can't help them now."

Through the sheets of rain now pouring around them, Link could make out the outline of the ranch, still intact and unharmed in the massacre, "The ranch is just over there. We can head inside and grab Storm and Epona and –"

In a flash, the ranch exploded in a storm of fiery wood and stones, raining around them like chunks of oversized hail. Where a moment before there had been immaculate, stunning Hylian craftsmanship now stood a great inferno, with only a skeleton of its former structure remaining. From the wreckage, no horses burst through, no sleek manes of white and brown, making their way towards them like they had been expecting them.

There was no way any creature could survive that blast.

From beyond the wreckage, a guardian climbed over the remnants of the ranch, its eye calculating and sharp as it searched for any survivors.

Then, its beady eye locked on them, and its mechanical legs began stalking forward.

Link pushed Zelda behind him once more, unsheathing the Master Sword and running straight towards the berserk guardian. Before the guardian could shoot, Link lunged forward, the Master Sword cutting clean through one of the guardian's legs. Instantly, the guardian tumbled forward, its aim compromised. Link swiveled around the guardian, staying out of its sight as he slashed at three of the legs.

The guardian, now immobile and leaning to the side, had no way to aim at Zelda. Link leapt above the guardian from behind with a cry and hung onto the back of the guardian's swirling head. Then, with the Master Sword in hand, he gripped the head firmly and plunged the glowing blue blade into its eye.

The guardian malfunctioned instantly, and Link had half a second to pull the Master Sword and jump from its back before it exploded in a fiery inferno. He landed next to the Princess, his tunic singed from the attack. He looked behind him once to confirm that the guardian really was dead before he grabbed the Princess's wrist and ran towards the east, the Rebonae Bridge just around the corner.

Once they crossed that bridge, they would be on the other side of the Hylia River, and would just have to trek back up the Sahasra Slope on foot. The slope was known for being treacherous, and was a natural defense due to its steep cliffs. Certainly, the guardians would have difficulty navigating their way up there. Certainly still, if they somehow made it up, the Sheikah could defend the stronghold against the threat. Certainly, Zelda would be safe there, at least for a moment longer.

He just had to somehow get her there.

However, it looked as though they had company.

"Lieutenant!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait a minute… Lieutenant?! But Link's a CaPtAiN!
> 
> Oh, but wait… oh WAAAAAAAIT!
> 
> Just when you thought you could get away from last week's cliffhanger, I give you: another cliffhanger!
> 
> There was a specific moment in this chapter that I have been thrilled about writing since day one, and that was that moment in the middle of the burning Castle Town, where Link is faced with a decision. Does he stay and try to fight Ganon there? Or does he run? Does he risk the Princess's life, or does he make the decision to save it, no matter the cost of civilian lives and no matter how temporary it may be. It's something I've been thinking about even before this story, and you can see their path in MasterWorks. You see the path Link and Zelda take from Mount Lanayru to Castle Town, and then you see their path as they flee. It's such a pivotal moment; such an important turning point, and it's a memory I wish we had from the game.
> 
> Epona's and Storm's… you know what (I still can't bring myself to say it)… feels an awful lot like Hedwig's… you know what. Sorry for reopening old wounds. I understand it's too soon.
> 
> Wow, I need a breather from this chapter! Let me know your thoughts, and I will see you next Wednesday!


	19. Chapter 19

The familiar honorific sent shivers down Link's spine and caused his blood to run cold. He had long imagined that hearing it on this day would be like a warm welcome after such a tedious mission. However, in light of recent events, and with the company that he now shared, the honorific burned and threatened to dislodge every part of his hastily thought out last minute plan.

Looking up just ahead, Link followed the voice to find a traveler, dressed in simple clothes: inconspicuous, and easy to blend in with a crowd. Link would know, for he had dressed the same way on field missions in the beginning of his career, managing to completely disappear in plain sight.

The traveller stepped forward, his voice dulled from the down pouring rain, "Lieutenant, is that really you?"

"You must be mistaking me for someone else, _civilian_ ," Link grit out. His grip on Zelda's wrist tightened, "You had best find shelter and lay low. It's dangerous out there."

He hoped the man could read into the undercurrents of his tone, and cease contact immediately. It would only take a couple of words uttered by this man to completely unravel the very fabrics of his identity that kept him afloat. However, his clan would think his mission to have already been completed. There would be no more need for anonymity, as far as they were concerned.

Indeed, this man, who knew him to be his Lieutenant, laughed, "You can drop the act now, Lieutenant: the battle's ours, the Princess is dead, and –"

The words died on his lips, as he looked beyond Link to catch a sight of blonde hair and white dress, with the Hyrulean Royal Family crest imprinted on the belt. Link saw the man's fingers twitch, as they began to reach back towards where Link knew Foot Soldiers kept their Vicious Sickles. Link pushed himself further between his clansman and the Princess.

"Lieutenant," the man said, lowly, his eyes darting between Link and the Princess, "Surely there's been some kind of mistake. What is the meaning of this? Why is the Princess still alive?"

Link felt Zelda shiver beneath his touch, and he only tightened his grip in response. This couldn't be happening.

"One more word will find you dead right where you stand," Link whispered, his tone deadly, yet underlined with the desperation of getting this man to shut up, "Threatening the Princess's life is considered treason. If you know what's good for you, you will cease and desist at once."

"Lieutenant, what are you talking about? You were the one with the mission to assassinate the Princess of – "

The Master Sword was driven up through the man's chest in one swift lunge. His words were cut off midsentence, as the man's eyes widened in surprise and evident betrayal. Link kicked the man off of his blade with his boot, tightened his grip on the Princess's wrist and sprinted forward, leaving the man to bleed out in the pouring rain.

"Link," Zelda gasped, as she desperately tried to pull her arm away from him, "That man, back there. Was he – "

"A Yiga Clan assassin," Link interrupted, his stomach turning to lead, "Set out to assassinate you in the name of Calamity Ganon."

"He said that there was a mission to assassinate me?"

"Aye," Link ground out, "Just like they tried in the Gerudo Desert and in the castle."

Zelda shivered, "But he called you Lieutenant. Why did he call you Lieutenant? It was like he knew you."

"He must have confused me for someone else," Link ran his hand through his hair and pushed back his sopping wet bangs, "It's dark out – I could barely even see the man's face. I doubt he could have seen mine."

Damn that fool. He hadn't been quick enough to stop the man from breathing those few words that could condemn him forever. Link was already spouting out lies and half-truths left and right; there was no way that he could continue this for much longer without the truth trickling out.

A laugh slipped between gritted teeth – inaudible and full of malice. Everything was disintegrating right before his very eyes, all because he couldn't follow through with the most important mission of his life.

Then, another explosion rocked the ground that they stood on, and Zelda tumbled to the ground behind him. Link looked up, his eyes growing wide at the sight before him.

Three Guardian Stalkers were already stationed at the Rebonae Bridge just ahead. They were expectant, almost, as their lasers fired and their heavy claws stamped down on the bridge. The bridge was already destroyed beyond repair, and there was no way that Link would be able to get Zelda across the fast moving currents of the Hylia River safely.

He needed another plan. The Guardians had not noticed them, yet. If they were quiet, they could easily backtrack towards the remains of the ranch and head south to cross the Horwell, and then the Eagus Bridge to get to Kakariko. There were many bridges that crossed the Hylia River. Surely one of them was still intact –

One of the Guardians eyes swiveled and locked on them. Link's blood ran cold as the Guardian made its pursuit towards them, its machinery groaning as its legs clawed at the mud and stone. The two other Guardians were alerted, and suddenly, three red lasers were honed in on both him and Zelda.

No longer would that plan work. Link could handle one Guardian, but it had already been proven that he could not handle three by himself. The Guardians would follow them relentlessly, tracking them down until the two of them both sunk into the mud on the Hyrule Fields: cold and burnt and dead.

Instinct had kept both he and the Princess alive thus far; it was that same instinct that went against every ideal that he stood for. Yet, he was in survival mode: he would reassess his treacherous intentions once he was not being hunted down by manic Guardian Stalkers.

Link gave into his instincts, struck a hard right, and pulled Zelda deep into the Bottomless Swamp.

Trees on either side engulfed them, growing more and more dense as they stumbled into the swamp. From behind them, Link could hear the Guardians clawing and shooting at the trees, but it would take a long time for them to be able to carve their path towards them. The swamp was overflowing in the rain, and their shoes sunk deeply into the mud as they trudged south. Even with the protection of the trees, they couldn't stop. It wouldn't be much longer until the Guardians burst through the trees – grasping the Princess in their massive claws.

It was possible too – that they were smart enough to go around the swamp entirely.

The swamp was relatively free of any Bokoblins or the like, but Link still kept the Master Sword gripped in his hand. Mud splattered up from the ground, staining his tunic, staining her dress. Now, the rain came down in sheets, and the only thing that Link could hear over the relentless downpour of rain was the Princess gasping for breath as he pulled her mercilessly along. The cold seeped from his tunic straight to his bones. His muscles burned as he trudged his legs through the soggy, sticky swamp. His chest ached as it pulled in breath after breath. None of this could stop him, though: they had to keep moving.

His mind drifted to his mother: to his life long before he had ever been tied to this fate. Would she be proud of the man he had grown up to be? Would she be disappointed? It was a question he had pondered many times before and a question he had cast to the side, but now? As he ran with the Princess of Hyrule, being chased down by manic, autonomous beasts, he could not help but wonder where he went wrong in his life to lead him to this point. Was it simply on the peaks of Mount Lanayru the night before? Or was it long before then? Had his destiny always been set to be this way? Or was it fluid – changing with each action he took? He wondered where his destiny would lead him now. Would he live? Would he die?

Would he see his mother soon?

Then, from above, thunder cracked overhead. One flash saw the Princess still in his grip – the next, she was gone.

He heard her tumble to the ground before he saw her. He slid to a stop, stumbling forward as he looked back towards Zelda. She knelt where she had fallen: her head bent low towards the ground, and away from the relentless onslaught of the rain.

"How…" she whispered, and that one word was laced with every horrific tragedy that had transpired that day, "How did it come to this?"

Her words echoed his thoughts.

Link looked around, and, deeming it safe, at least for the moment, sheathed the Master Sword. He knelt down next to her, and in that moment, knew not what to say. Both their worlds had come crashing down, as the entire world, as they had known it, vanished in the smoke and malice of Ganon's return.

"The Divine Beasts," she whispered, "The Guardians… they've all turned against us. They were supposed to be our salvation… the one thing to tip the battle in our favor…"

"No one could have foreseen this coming," Link said, the lie feeling stale and cheap against his tongue.

Zelda shook her head, "It was… Calamity Ganon. It turned them all against us. And everyone – Mipha, Urbosa, Revali, Daruk… they're all trapped inside those things," she looked at him then, her eyes wide with firm realization, as tears began to well, "It's all my fault."

"Zel, it's not your fault," Link whispered, each word weighing him down deeper and deeper with an emotion foreign to him: guilt.

"It is," Zelda whispered, burying her face in her filthy, muddy hands, "Our only hope for defeating Ganon is lost, all because I couldn't harness this cursed power. Everything… everything I've done up until now…" her eyes grew wide in panic, "it was all for nothing."

Her breath hitched, as her palms slapped against the mud, "So I really am just a failure!"

Link felt that familiar itch, to lean into that statement. He felt the urge hold her hands, look her in the eyes, and whisper to her, firmly and resolutely, that yes, it was all for nothing, and yes, she was indeed a failure.

However, he found that this urge was long since muffled by his need to protect her: his desperate instinct to keep her safe.

"All my friends… the entire Kingdom… my father most of all," Zelda whispered, her voice growing faint and her eyes growing glassy, "I tried, and I failed them all."

Three tears cascaded down the Princess's cheeks, "I've left them… all to die."

"Oh, Zel," Link whispered, and those two words were the catalyst that broke her already crumbled façade. She fell forward, her head coming to rest in the nook of his elbow, and she cried.

The rain poured around them, yet Link could hardly feel it as he held the vulnerable girl in his arms. She claimed that everything to have happened was her fault… yet Link knew that every move since the Queen's assassination was perfectly calculated by his clan.

And in light of the most recent events, the deaths of the Champions and her father could be traced back directly to him. Their deaths weren't her fault – they were _his._

Where once he would have felt pride and almost a boyish glee at their deaths, Link felt nothing at all.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and squeezed, feeling a lone tear escape from his eye, "I'm sorry," he whispered, each word bleeding with the sincerity of each deliberate choice that had led to where they were now.

"And you," she hissed, stiffening under his hold, "Tell me the truth: what happened back there? With the Yiga?"

Link felt his stomach drop as those words solidified. Of course she was thinking back to the Yiga encounter.

"What about it?" Link asked, daring not to meet her gaze.

"Link, it was like he knew who you were," Zelda whispered, "There was an air of familiarity between you two."

"Zel, of course he knows who I am," Link shook his head, "Just like he knows who you are. You are the Princess, and I am the Hero of an age long prophesy, set against destroying the very thing that they worship."

"Yet he called you Lieutenant."

"I already told you earlier, Zel," he barked, watching as her head snapped towards him in alarm, "He must have had me confused for someone else."

"You _just_ said he knew you as the Hero, Link."

Shit.

"How could he recognize you as the Hero and confuse you to be someone else?"

He was silent for a long moment, his lips forming into a tight line.

"I've been thinking," she said, not meeting his gaze, "There's a lot of things I don't know about you, still. A lot of the explanations I've gotten have been convenient at best and empty at worst. A lot of things aren't adding up, yet there was something that the man had said back there… something that made everything suddenly _click_."

She looked up at him then, her eyes burning with accusation.

"Tell me, Link," she whispered, her voice bleeding with betrayal, "Just what _did_ you do for those five years after your mother died?

His eyes locked with hers, and despite everything at stake, he knew it was fruitless to try and deny it, "I think you already know."

"But that's impossible," Zelda whispered, shaking her head.

"Just like it was impossible for the Guardians to turn against us?"

Zelda's eyes grew wide, "Link, I beg of you: tell me I'm wrong. What is it? What's going on? Are you…"

"Am I what, Zel?"

He looked hard at her then, his eyes blazing even in the pouring rain. For the first time, when Zelda looked at him, he saw it flash in her eyes: fear. She was scared of him, and for good reason, too. She should be scared of him.

"Never mind," she whispered, a smile blossoming but coming no where near to meeting her eyes, "It's stupid of me to think – there's no way."

"Zel, you're a smart girl," Link whispered, gripping her arm. A small part of him was still amused as she flinched under his hold, "And something tells me you've already figured it out. So then, tell me: what is it?"

"Link, don't make me –"

"Zelda, _say it."_

"Link, don't –"

" _Tell me!"_

" _I can't!"_ Zelda cried out, "Because after everything we've been though, I refuse to believe that. And despite it all, we still need you. _I_ still need you. You're all that I have left! The Master Sword chose you – the _Goddess_ chose you. Despite your intentions, you are destined to save us, still. _You_ are the _Hero."_

"You call me a Hero," Link whispered dryly, his eyes rising up towards the rain, "Yet the only heroic thing I've done has been to whisk you away from Calamity Ganon. But even then, it feels stale. A Hero rises to right the wrongs of Hyrule, and yet it feels like with every move I make, I only make things worse."

She looked at him again – her eyes revealing a myriad of emotions.

There was betrayal – disbelief – fear – anger – sorrow –

Tenderness.

"You're still by my side, though, despite everything," she whispered, "Why is that?"

"I…" he whispered, suddenly at a loss for words, "I have to be. I've learned I can't _not_ protect you."

She nodded then, her hot tears mixing with the cold rain, "I should be dead right now, shouldn't I?"

Link released his hand from his arm, dragging it downwards. She didn't flinch or avert her gaze. Even facing potential death, she did not back down, "Yes," he confessed, "By every right, you should be dead by now."

"So then it's true," Zelda breathed, "What the man said: that you were supposed to kill me."

It wasn't a question more so a statement of fact. She seemed entirely too calm given the revelation.

"In the light of the Blood Moon," Link whispered, confirming her fears, "With the dawn of this morning, you began living on borrowed time."

She looked puzzled then, her eyebrows furrowing together, "But you didn't," she whispered, "You didn't kill me. Why didn't you?"

It was the question that he had been pondering since his body had seized on the cliffs of Mount Lanayru.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, "I couldn't. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring myself to do it. And though I'm still not sure why I couldn't, what I do know is that my need to protect you far outweighs everything else. What I do know is that Calamity Ganon is nothing like I had ever imagined. I'm not sure what I had wanted before, but that wasn't it."

"That's the soul of the Hero, then," she whispered, "Rising in the face of adversity."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you later," Zelda whispered, and behind the strong front she put up, Link could see the pain behind her green eyes, "We're wasting _borrowed_ time here, as it is. If we want to make it to Kakariko in one piece, we'd best get moving."

"Wait, I don't understand," Link stammered, "You forgive me?"

"I'm not sure that I do," she admitted, "But I think I can reasonably assume that I would already be dead if you had wanted me to be."

And yet, there was part of him that did, still.

It was complicated.

"Do not mistake my mercy for forgiveness," she continued, "It's difficult to explain. The Goddess does not make mistakes, though its clear that both of her chosen have their faults: a Princess who cannot access her birthright and a Hero whose journey is quite… unorthodox. Yet despite everything, you have inevitably chosen the light over the dark. And that is just going to have to be good enough."

"But wait – Zel –"

"We'll talk more when we get to Kakariko," she interrupted, "And you'll tell me everything. I have a lot more questions than answers at the moment."

Then, he heard sharp scrapping against stone, and Link pushed Zelda down against the ground. From outside the swamp, through the thick canopy of trees, the shadows of malevolent Guardians lurked: scanning and tracking. They were looking for any survivors: more specifically, them. These mechanical beasts did not differentiate against followers of Ganon or followers of Hylia. All they were programmed to do was shoot and kill. As the scampering faded away, Link sat up and took in a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, before gripping Zelda's shoulders.

She was smart – smarter than anyone would ever give her credit for, and if she was smarter still, she would run away from him, away from his blade, away from his hands that had broken more things than they had fixed. But he knew that if she ran, she wouldn't make it. The Guardians would hone their lasers in on her, and there would be nothing left to identify the body. She didn't stand a chance out there on her own.

She was just a girl, whose pleas were left unanswered by her Goddess much like his were five years prior. He understood that betrayal better than anyone.

"Zel, I know that I haven't given you reason to believe me," he spoke in a low tone, his breath hot just above her ear, "But I am going to get you out of this, and I swear to you, I'll explain and tell you everything once I know you're safe," he gripped her hand, "Can you trust me?"

She was silent for a long moment, before she nodded, "You're all that I have left. I have to trust you."

He gripped her wrist in his hand as he hoisted her up, and bolted south through the woods, hoping desperately that they would still be able to outrun the Guardians and that they weren't too late.

He didn't have a plan once he got her to Kakariko. All his plan was, at the moment, was to _get_ her there. Surely, at this point, he would be branded a traitor of the Yiga Clan. It wouldn't take long for his treachery to bubble to the surface. If his clan found out he and the Princess were seeking refuge in Kakariko, they would certainly go to any means necessary to attack the settlement. It wouldn't take long for their location to be compromised.

He still didn't understand how she could be so trusting of him after everything he had done. Yet the words she spoke echoed his mind: _You're all that I have left._ In the end, was she even left with a choice? All of her friends were dead. Her father, if not dead already, would soon be. The capitol of her country was destroyed in a matter of hours. And then, upon her revelation that he was Yiga, she still trusted him.

Though, neither of them had said it explicitly. They spoke of his intentions, but never his organization. It was likely she was still harboring some disbelief.

But then once they reached Kakariko, what then? He would tell her everything; he would tell her about all the times he lied and murdered and bit his tongue as he smiled and nodded. He would tell her that he never burned the blueprints of the Divine Beasts and the Guardians – instead, he gave them to his master and condemned the entire country to their fate. Her friends had died and he was their executioner. Zelda would certainly hate him, but at least, while in Kakariko, she would be safe.

Then, he supposed, he would flee. He would leave Kakariko in the night and leave her forever. She would realize then that there had never been a fraction of the Hero's soul within him. Yet, hunted day and night by the Yiga Clan, where would he go? He would constantly be on the run. Perhaps he could make his way out to the Lanayru Sea and catch a refugee boat out towards the east. He could change his name: start over.

Though truth be told, he would rather die.

_She will learn to forgive you. She always has._

The voice was faint on the wind, and for a moment, Link thought he had imagined it. Then, he felt the Master Sword on his back pulsate twice, and he had to stand to reason that it couldn't have simply been his imagination.

Was there some truth to this 'hero' business, then? The Master Sword, if he humored the legends, chose him as it had chosen Heroes since the beginning of Time. Was that why he couldn't kill her in the light of the Blood Moon? Was this tugging from deep within him – this instinct to protect her – not his to claim but as she said, the spirit of the Hero rising in the face of adversity?

Was this what fate had planned all along? Was he always destined to be the Hero of Hyrule, even as he strayed to far from righteousness?

Fate certainly had a wicked sense of humor, then.

The swamp began to thin out in front of them, and just up ahead, the shoreline opened up. The waters from the Hylia River were swelling, rushing south, pulling loose branches and stones and even some boats with it. The water crashed violently against the shoreline, and any new thoughts about trudging the Princess across the river were squashed instantly.

They needed to find a bridge that was still standing.

Then, just up ahead, Link saw the Horwell Bridge, untouched by Guardians. Link let out a strangled laugh, pulling the Princess along towards the bridge, "There – we can cross there and backtrack north to the Eagus Bridge, then up the Sahasra Slope – "

"Link, look out!"

Perhaps this was the day that his karma was finally catching up with him. He must have been blind as to not see the Guardian that was quickly approaching them. He must have been deaf to have not heard the short staccato of the Guardian's approach. He had been too distracted in his bitter revelations. He blamed the spirit of the Hero for that one, but then again, he supposed, perhaps this had all been fated to happen as well. The Guardian reached out with one massive claw, striking towards the pair. Link threw Zelda off towards the left, but not before the Guardian's claw slashed through his tunic, from shoulder to mid rib.

White-hot pain clouded his senses, and he staggered, stumbling off to the side. He rolled forward, clutching his chest with one hand while grabbing the Master Sword from its scabbard with the other. He raised his head, assessing the situation. Zelda was off towards the roaring waters, her eyes wide in fear, as the Guardian stalked towards him. Good, then, the Guardian was ignoring her, at least for the moment. Better still, it seemed this Guardian was alone, though Link didn't want to ponder too heavily on just where its comrades may be.

Link shook his head, clearing his vision from the down pouring rain, and flipped the blade with his wrist. In the darkness of night, the blade shined like a beacon from the heavens. If this Guardian had backup nearby, it wouldn't take them long to find them.

Link lunged towards the Guardian, taking its aim even further from Zelda. He slashed at the Guardian's legs, watching as, once again, the Guardian toppled over.

Then, he realized the Guardian had its laser on him. The beeping was erratic – how long had the Guardian been focusing in on him? Much too long – he quickly realized – for he was hurdling to the side not a second later, the fiery blast singeing the back of his tunic.

He was lucky – the bulk of the blast had missed him. However, in missing him, the blast from the laser hit another mark. The Horwell Bridge lit up in flames, igniting and burning even in the pouring rain. How was that possible? Was the blast so hot and so powerful as to render the rain useless? Link didn't have time to ponder these things; ancient Sheikah technology had a way of making the impossible, possible, he had learned. He flew onto the back of the Guardian and struck it deep within its glowing blue eye. The Guardian sputtered for a moment, and he leapt off, before the Guardian exploded.

He was panting, knelt down on the soggy ground. How had he come to be so out of breath? That wasn't like him. He shook his head, trying to get a grip on himself. Only then, did he begin to hear Zelda's voice over the blasted ringing in his ears.

She was in front of him, her voice sounding muffled and her hand on his shoulder. When did she get there? He looked up into her green orbs, and saw them shift from worry to relief.

"Link, we have to go," Zelda said, yanking him onto his feet, "There's more Guardians coming from the castle, we have to go!"

Link nodded, wiping the rain and his bangs from his eyes and taking a quick survey of the Hyrule Fields. Sure enough, from just over the Whistling Hill, Link could see the faint, magenta glow from the Guardians as they stalked the land. None but that one had ventured that far to the west, as far as he could tell.

Now, as far as making it out to Kakariko, there were two more bridges they could take. The first, the Owlan Bridge, was dependent on the Eagus Bridge still standing intact, which if it wasn't, could leave them stranded on the island. However, if they went further south, they might be able to take a gamble and beat the Guardians to the Proxim Bridge, which was much more structurally sound that the other, more minor bridges. That way may be more congested, since it was next to towns and villages that would be evacuating, but it was their best bet to make it across the Hylia.

From there, they would just need to detour through the Dueling Peaks and then head north straight to Kakariko. It would lead them through the territory of Fort Hateno, and Fort Hateno…

…was fortified by the Hyrulean Royal Army. It would be more than just Link fighting against the Guardians. They very well just might stand a fighting chance.

There was no doubt any more in Link's mind. The way to go was surely through Fort Hateno. It was their best bet.

"Come on, let's go," Link grunted out, taking her hand and leading her south, "We need to cross this river. The Proxim Bridge will be our safest bet."

Link saw the glow from the flames before the fires themselves. As he and Zelda trudged over the last hill, Zelda gasped. Up ahead, the villages and settlements at the base of the Plateau were ablaze in flames. Flames reached all the way from the East Post to the Gatepost Town, and there – just beyond the Gatepost Town, the Guardians climbed – up the steep steps leading to the base of the Great Plateau. They were merciless in their destruction: as ancient Hylian architecture disintegrated beneath its lasers.

There was yelling and screaming coming from the village – but more jarring was the lack of it. These villages and military forts were highly populated: there should have been more people. On one hand, they could have already evacuated, but on the other… well, Link would be lying if he didn't smell the burning corpses mixed with rainwater in the air.

Zelda's eyes were fixated on the Great Plateau, "You said father was evacuated to the plateau," she breathed, her hand clutching desperately at his, "Link, father is up there – the Guardians – what do we do?"

"There's nothing we can do," Link said, pulling her onward, "Your father has his entire Royal Guard detail with him – I trained them myself – they won't let anything happen to the King."

Indeed he had trained them himself: and by doing so, they were undoubtedly set up for failure.

He pulled her past the burning wreckage, and onto the Proxim Bridge. He didn't dare look behind him, to see if the Guardians were gaining on them. However, looking towards the cool stonework of the bridge, he couldn't help but notice sharp indentations in the bridge. They looked fresh: like something had clawed its way across earlier.

Link desperately did not want to think about what that implied, and he willed himself not to believe it until he saw it with his own eyes: certainly they had outrun the Guardians to this point. Certainly the Guardians that had attacked the villages at the base of the Great Plateau had migrated west, and not east. Certainly the Guardians hadn't already beaten them to Kakariko.

It was all becoming increasingly overwhelming for Link. Every turn was met with an even more devastating realization. This all could have just been avoided if he had killed her the night before.

But no: he just _had_ to be the Hero.

The air was quieter on the other side of the Hylia River. There was less destruction, and Link chose to view that as a good sign.

His gaze stopped to rest towards the south, to the little hill just overlooking his small little hometown of Deya. The tree looked untouched, and even from his vantage point below it, he could see the small little stone that marked his mother's grave. He wished with every inch of his soul to be able to climb up the hill to say his goodbyes one final time. He wasn't sure just how much longer his mother's grave would remain untouched. He wasn't sure when or if it would ever be safe to venture back into Central Hyrule.

He didn't even know if he would live long enough anyways.

Perhaps then he would lucky enough to see her smile again.

He knew without a doubt that his hometown had been destroyed. The Hills of Baumer made it impossible to see the events happening at the castle. In the most crucial, earliest moments of the Calamity's return, they would have felt the world shake, but be left unaware at just how close the threat was to them. They would have only known the return of the Calamity as they were met with the fiery blasts of the Guardians. Their rampage was evident, as just beyond the hills was the faint red glow of fire, and he knew that very few, if any, would have made it out of the swamp village alive.

They raced through the shadows of the Dueling Peaks, their feet splashing desperately against the puddles and the overflowed river. Still – there was no sign of any Guardians, and at least, for the moment, eased Link's worries. Perhaps they had truly beaten the Guardians east of the Dueling Peaks.

Kakariko was just around the bend ahead of them. Once they crossed the Kakariko Bridge, they would be in the clear. From up ahead, though, Link could begin to recognize smoke billowing from the plains. His stomach clenched at what it implied.

As they emerged from the shadows of the Dueling Peaks, Link's suspicions were confirmed with a sickening twist.

Fort Hateno was a massive stronghold, and was the third largest in all of Hyrule, behind the Akkala Citadel and Hyrule Castle itself. The stone building was massive with sweeping archways and batteries that were only eclipsed by the Akkala Citadel. Throughout the stone encampment were sweeping plains where the soldiers trained. It was evident that Fort Hateno would soon rival the Akkala Citadel in prowess and strength. It had been a likely location where Link could have been stationed early on his mission.

Now, though, the fort had been reduced to mere rubble.

The plains were littered in broken stone and burning wood. Where once the fort had stood two stories tall as a fortified stronghold, it had now been reduced to mere dust. All that stood were the remains of archways and various half walls, though any resemblance of the once magnificent fort was all but lost in the carnage.

Corpses were littered throughout the Blatchery Plain: soldiers and civilians alike. Some bodies were still smoking, making it evident that they were recent kills, while others looked to have been there for quite some time.

And most glaring was the terrifying amount of Guardians present in the remains of the fort: firing away at anything that dared to move.

There had to be at least a hundred of them, Link thought, as he stood frozen with the Princess just on the edge of the Dueling Peaks. Many of the Guardians had already been destroyed; clearly the soldiers at Fort Hateno weren't as incapable as others within the army. However, many more still stood: crawling and whirling and groaning across the fields, their treacherous glow permeating the darkness.

Link thought to turn around and flee: the Guardians had beaten them here, and effectively had their path to Kakariko blocked. Link couldn't say he was surprised: the markings on the Proxim had been evidence enough that he hadn't wanted to believe, and Deya had long since been burning. It wasn't surprising to him that they had all swarmed the third largest stronghold in Hyrule. He knew without a doubt that the same must have been happening in Akkala.

However, one look behind him squashed any thoughts of fleeing back the way they came.

Through the narrow gap of the Dueling Peaks came countless more Guardians, each one looking fresh and undamaged. Their eyes pulsated and their malice radiated. Each claw dug deep into the ground as they bounded forward, closing the gap between them.

They were trapped.

One glance to the north confirmed that the Kakariko Bridge was still intact, though the way there would be dangerous. There would be no second chances: no room for mistakes.

The fate of Hyrule rested with them.

"Alright, Zelda – we have to run," Link whispered, "Once we make it past the Kakariko Bridge, the Pillars of Levia will help protect us. But we can't stop running until we make it to Kakariko. Are you ready?"

She nodded, her hand slipping down to grasp his tightly, "I'm ready."

They bolted from the shadows of the Dueling Peaks, and instantly, all eyes were on them. Link could hear the Guardians grasp and crawl their way towards them, he could hear the groaning and whirling of machinery, he could hear their lasers targeting and beeping, getting ready to fire. They trudged across the Big Twin Bridge, and he felt the heat of blast just feet behind them. If they kept running, perhaps the Guardians would continue to miss.

It was a nice thought, but sorely naïve. The next blast from a Guardian hit him square in the shoulders and caused his grip from Zelda to disintegrate. He heard his name called out from behind him, before he landed hard on his side, gasping as the pain radiated from the top of one shoulder to his side. He refused to acknowledge the severity of the wound as he rolled himself onto his feet, grasping the Master Sword in his hand once more.

He knew without a doubt that it was adrenaline and adrenaline alone that kept him standing on his own two feet. He looked up to see Zelda backing up from the onslaught of the same Guardian that had attacked him: her eyes wide in fear and terror.

He ran forward with a cry, as the Guardian lifted one massive claw to strike at Zelda. His blade came crashing down on the appendage, slicing it clean down the middle, and before the Guardian could retaliate, he stabbed the tip of the Master Sword deep into its eye, watching as the machinery whirled and sparked.

The Guardian fell forward in a heap, and Link pulled the Master Sword from its eye with one hand and grabbed Zelda's hand with the other. In those precious few seconds since the attack, the amount of Guardians surrounding them had multiplied, and the path to Kakariko was blocked entirely.

With no other moves and no other options, Link took a hard right from the path, and ran with the Princess into the fiery field.

He dove down into the fort, through destroyed archways and remains of hallways. He made a sharp turn to the right, through a path much too small for the Guardians to pursue directly. From the other side, the path was clear, and he gripped Zelda's hand tighter as he made a run for it, through massive puddles and raging fires.

His goal was the woods. Zelda could effectively hide out in there and have at least a thin veil of protection against the onslaught of the Guardians. At least then, he could fight the Guardians blocking their path without having to worry about protecting her as well.

And then from the side, a massive claw struck out, imbedding itself deep into his side.

He staggered, the white-hot pain blossoming from his side and growing warm as it oozed with blood. The Guardian retracted its claw and Link stumbled forward, clutching his side as he felt the blood ooze from between his fingers. The rest of the Guardians were still on the other side of the fort, searching for them, but this one… this one had been smart enough to follow them around the fort.

He felt two hands grip his shoulders, and he shoved them off as he gasped, stumbling to his feet, "I'm fine," he grit out, pushing Zelda behind him so he was between her and their most immediate threat, "Zelda, take cover in the woods."

"I can't just leave you!"

"Zelda, don't be an idiot," Link heaved, "I can't protect you and fight these beasts."

The world spun around him as he stood, and he shook his head again, grasping the Master Sword in a white knuckled grip.

The Guardian struck out again with another claw, but this time, Link saw it coming and avoided it, feeling the air shift around him as the Guardian's claw struck the ground he had stood on not a second prior. He leaped at the beast, the Master Sword digging deep into its eye, before the machine malfunctioned in a whirl of swirling gears and plasma.

But then, from the wreckage, came another one to take its place.

This went on for some time, and Link wasn't sure just how many Guardians he had destroyed. It could have been hours – it might have only been minutes. They were stuck just on the edge of the Bubinga Forest, just about as far away from the Kakariko Bridge as they could be. As Link fought off each one, pulling his blade with shaking arms from the eye of the Guardian carcass, he could not help but notice with a dreading realization that he had not seen any living soldiers fighting off the Guardians in the fort. He had seen dead ones since their arrival, but since they had breached the Dueling Peaks, he had not seen another soul.

It wouldn't be surprising if there weren't another living soul for miles.

He could feel himself fading, and fast. With each move, he felt his wounds stretch and protest on his back, chest, and side. His muscles were strained and his head was woozy. He had thought it to be a trick of the light – but it became evidently clear with each strike that the Master Sword was losing its power. The blade had dulled in its glow, and was beginning to be coated in a layer of malice that ate and broke away at the sword. It wouldn't be much longer now until the blade snapped entirely, and then what would he do? What could he do?

Was he just fighting off the inevitable? No man could continue on like this forever; not even the Hero chosen by the Goddess could. He was just one man.

And he was becoming increasingly aware of his own mortality.

A hastily avoided blast from the Guardian had Link toppled over on the ground, before he dove under the Guardian's belly and slashed at the under wires, cutting off its energy supply and causing it to short circuit. However, the beast was determined not to go down without taking Link with it, and with an agile claw, dug Link out from deep beneath his belly and threw him off towards the woods, just as the light in its eye darkened completely.

Link knelt by the ground gasping, digging the ruined tip of the Master Sword deep into the ground to keep him from collapsing. Around him lay the carcasses of countless Guardians that he had destroyed in a surge of energy and adrenaline. Now, though, that energy was draining and that adrenaline was vanishing, and in its place came pain and exhaustion.

That was the last one in the long stretch of Guardians, and yet still, beyond the destroyed remnants of the fort, was the tell tale signs of more Guardians. Their spider-like claws snapped and squished against the damp ground, as the eyes scanned the plain: searching for them – tracking them.

The edges of his vision swarmed with tiny black spots, and he felt those two familiar hands along his back, "Link, save yourself! go!"

There was no saving himself at this point.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

She wouldn't be fine.

" _Run_!"

He couldn't just leave her. In a twisted sort of way, she was all that he had left, too.

He grit his teeth as he pushed himself onto unstable legs. The world spun violently around him as he stumbled. His limbs screamed against the way he forced his body to stand, and he heard Zelda gasp as he pushed her back once more and steadied the Master Sword in his hand.

From beyond the shells of its brethren, a beady, swirling, plasma eye locked in on them. It stalked forward, its legs, now slimy with mud and blood, squelched against the ground. The machinery groaned, as it lifted itself over the bodies of its fallen comrades. It loomed over Link, and he could feel the malice radiating and pulsating from its core. At one time, he would have reveled in the feeling and allowed the malice to soak into his pores, but now? The stench made him gag and the radiation burned through his clothes.

He saw his mother, then, in his mind's eye, and her smile was radiant.

His sword arm dropped as he felt the light from the Guardian's laser focusing in.

He would see her soon.

" _No!"_

He was thrown back and was surrounded by sweet, golden light. He shielded his eyes against the light, leaning heavily against the Master Sword. This couldn't have been what death felt like, he realized, for his body still throbbed and his body still shook.

He looked up to see his Princess – Zelda – Zel – standing firmly in front of him, her face awash in firm determination and her arm outstretched, bleeding in divine golden power. Her hair blew in the wind, and the power exploded from within her. It reached the heavens; the delicate, powerful magic cascading in a firm radius around them, until all Link could see was wonderful yellow.

It went as quickly as it came, and the world was cast in seeping greys and greens once more. The Guardian shook, before its whirling machinery began to malfunction. As the last of its mechanisms died down, so did the malice, and in a great draft, the malice evaporated from the machine, dissolving towards the heavens, before it disappeared all together.

From around them, Link heard the sounds of the other ancient mechanical defenders collapsing into the ground as well.

The Princess had done it.

She had unlocked her Goddess given powers.

He didn't feel anything when he collapsed onto the ground.

He felt a hand on his cheek as he look up. He was in the arms of his Princess – Zelda – Zel – _Hylia_ – and she was still glowing brilliantly golden. She spoke, though he heard her not. He felt cold, as the black dots circled his vision once again. Yet, her arms were _warm._ Wasn't that funny? So the Goddess Hylia was not, in fact, dead. Her powers had been proof enough. She had been there with him this whole time.

In the arms of his Goddess, he closed his eyes, and he saw his mother once again.

Failure was not an option in the Yiga Clan, and traitors would not be tolerated. The punishment for treason was death. Perhaps then, this was for the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote this chapter many, many times over the last couple of weeks, trying to get it right. I have three copies of this chapter saved on my computer: Chapter 19-A, 19-B, and 19-C. This is 19-C, which is a hybrid of ideas I had in A and B. I wondered how to execute the big reveal: whether it was subtle, more dramatic, in the Bottomless Swamp, on the Blatchery Plain, or if Zelda was going to be too dumb to figure it out. I think I'm pleased with the outcome. It's so tough – writing this third person limited from Link's perspective, and trying to explain Zelda's rationale without making her seem naïve. I mean, she is, but also, isn't. I hope I did her justice. She's lost everything, and even in the face of treachery, she can't lose Link too. I think the easiest comparison is a man confessing cheating on his wife, and the wife choosing to look past the treachery. She is looking through some heavily tinted rose-colored glasses.
> 
> If the pacing in this chapter and the last felt rushed, then I've done my job right. My intent was to make each moment happen one after another like a domino. Give credit to the phrase, "It all happened so fast". I wanted one day sunshine and the next day doom.
> 
> This is the final chapter before the epilogue, where we tie up some loose ends. That being said, I can't remember if I've officially announced it – I think I've hinted at it, but here goes:
> 
> I am writing a goddess-damned sequel to this. Sweet baby Ganon, this shit ain't ending that quickly.
> 
> In next week's final chapter, I will be posting more details about it, its official title, as well as posting the official summary for it (yup, the summary is written and the actual story is not).
> 
> I have plans to write a one-shot prequel, which I know I've mentioned a couple of times, and publish it sometime this summer, and then begin weekly postings of chapters for the sequel sometime either in August or September. When I post the prequel, I will probably have a more definite date in mind.
> 
> So yeah, this Yiga!Link saga lives on! This story has made me realize that I have a twisted mind. And I LOVE it. If you haven't yet, turn on author notifications so you'll be one of the first to know when the prequel and sequel go live! It's a little daunting, moving forward, but I've got some ideas. It's entirely outlined. I'm excited for the challenge, and I'm REALLY excited to make you all horrified at some of the things I have up my sleeve. Things are gonna get dark. His past is gonna come back to haunt him. People will get punched. There will be blood. Lots of death. Honestly, some shit's about to go down. That boy's gotta rise to right the wrongs of Hyrule. Or so we think.
> 
> And for those wondering where Commander Impa is, have no fear… she comes back next Wednesday.
> 
> Anyways! I'm in a lot of pain from this chapter. Let me know your thoughts, comments, and concerns, and I will see you for OUR LAST CHAPTER next Wednesday!


	20. Epilogue

Zelda felt his body decline as he slowly died in her arms. She wept – her tears mixing with the rain, as she mourned the loss of the hero – the traitor – her _friend._ Could she still call him her friend? Even after everything?

Either way, it certainly felt like she had lost a friend that day, in one way or another.

Then, she heard the Master Sword reach out – felt its soul touch hers – and heard the voice of the Hero of Hyrule. It wasn't Link's voice – not quite – but it was the voices of many heroes: the voices of countless knights and soldiers and farmers and the like, who had all stepped up over the course of history to the challenge of wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness.

He could still be saved, she learned, if he were taken immediately to the Shrine of Resurrection. Without the Hero, Hyrule would be doomed. But with him, perhaps Hyrule could be destined for greatness yet again.

Despite everything – despite the treason that still stung and ached and threatened to drown her – she would save him, if not for her country, then for her people. Despite his betrayal and conflicting allegiances, he was still the Goddess' Chosen Hero, and if saving him meant saving Hyrule, her decision was clear.

Then, from over the burning hills came a cry of, "Princess!" as two Sheikah soldiers ran in from the north, kneeling before her.

"Princess," one of them breathed, "Are you alright?"

They had seen the light clear from Kakariko – it had engulfed the land, soaring high above the clouds. It was undeniable – Commander Impa sent them at once to the south to investigate and protect the Princess.

Though it was evident that she could very well handle herself, thank you very much.

She recognized them as some of Impa's most trusted Sheikah. But could she will herself to leave him? The very thought made her throat tighten and her arms constrict around his bloody body. The Master Sword reached out towards her again, its soul coaxing her to let go. Trust them. They would save him. They would do well to keep their Hero safe.

Thus, she gave them the most important task.

"Take Link to the Shrine of Resurrection," she had commanded, and at the tones of her words, the soldiers had straightened and nodded. Who were they to question their Princess? "If we don't get him there immediately, we are going to lose him forever. Is that clear?" Her eyes burned golden green in the pouring rain, and the soldiers nodded, "So make haste and go. His life is now in your hands."

She was entrusting these two Sheikah soldiers with the future of Hyrule. As much as she wished to go with them – to ensure with her own eyes that he was safely placed into the shrine – time was of the essence. Thus, they lifted the body of her fallen knight into their arms and made their west to the Great Plateau. Zelda, alone with her thoughts and the gentle voice of the Master Sword, made her way north into Kakariko.

It was still raining, though the severity had lessened quite so by the time she reached Kakariko. The village was bustling with survivors from the Calamity. Tents had been erected alongside the main walkway leading into Kakariko, fires were roaring under the protection of trees and wooden canopies. Babies were crying and mothers were soothing, as they gazed towards the west with haunted looks in their eyes. The few fathers and their sons that had travelled in the evacuation party were once again ready for battle with weapons drawn, but were being pushed back by the firm voices of the Sheikah.

There was no going back, they were saying. There was nothing to go back _to_. Their villages had been destroyed, and there was no way to defeat the Guardians. It was not a fight they could win.

But then, the first refugee turned, and their eyes settled upon their Princess.

It started with just the one – just a simple bow in the darkness of early morning. The sun would not be up for a few hours yet, but there was no sleep to be had in that small, quiet village. Then, one by one, more of the survivors turned to set their gaze upon the Princess, and they too lowered themselves before her.

She stopped mid-step; as she watched her people bow before her. How could they, when she was just a girl, in some tattered and muddied white dress? Yet still, they bowed: for they knew her power and they knew her greatness, and they had seen the night sky light up like the dawn breaking over the horizon.

No longer was she a failure of a Princess. It had been woven into her destiny that she would prove them wrong. And thus, she did.

Yet the battered blade resting in her palms did well to challenge that sentiment.

And then, at the end of the long path – at the end of all her people knelt down in the mud in firm and loving loyalty – was Impa: battered and bloody still from battle, but standing just as strong as ever.

Zelda ran down the hill towards the Sheikah, and embraced her as though the world might try and take her away as well. It was possible, still, that the world would continue to be so cruel.

"Princess," Impa breathed, clutching the back of Zelda's head, "We saw the sky light up. The Goddess has smiled upon you."

Zelda nodded, though she felt Impa stiffen.

"You come here alone, though," she whispered, "And with his blade. Where is your knight? What has happened?"

Zelda breathed in sharply, pulling herself back from Impa but refusing to meet her gaze. There was so much to say – yet the words escaped her. What could she say? How could mere words possibly explain what had happened? Impa's fiery red eyes blazed through the rain, as her eyes bounced from between her and the sword.

From around them, the displaced survivors began to close in, desperately eager to hear any news of what had happened outside the stronghold of Kakariko.

Indeed, Impa noticed this as well, as she scanned over the people, weighing their options, "Come," she decided, grasping Zelda by her shoulders and leading her away from the refugees, "The silence out here is deafening. We can speak in the Elder's home."

"I can't stay long," Zelda whispered, her eyes flickering towards the west, "My role has not yet finished."

"I know it hasn't," Impa nodded, as they made their way up the great stairs, "Your destiny awaits you."

They entered the Elder's home, and as the door slid shut behind them, the sounds of the village vanished from behind them. Zelda hadn't noticed just how loud those small, minute sounds had been: the sounds of rain, of whispers, of fate. The silence truly was deafening.

They spoke then, just on the floor of the Elder's home in Kakariko, and Zelda told Impa everything. She told her of Ganon's malice enveloping the sky as they watched from the Lanayru Promenade, and how they ran to the castle, only to flee. She told her of how they ran from the Guardians, of their confrontation with the Yiga Soldier, and how they ran, and ran, and ran, until Link's final stand at Fort Hateno. It was in that moment that she had she awakened her Goddess given powers. Zelda told her dear friend everything.

Everything except, of course, one small detail.

"So then my soldiers are taking him now to the Shrine of Resurrection."

"Yes. But I'm afraid that the shrine is flawed. His restoration will come at the cost of his memories."

"Hmm…" Impa mused, "Well, given the circumstances, perhaps then it is for the best that our _h_ _ero_ loses his memory. Wouldn't you agree, Princess?"

…

…

…

Impa nodded slowly, her eyes flickering down towards the blade, but her face not betraying any emotion, "So then, it is as I suspected. Your reaction says it all. You know what I knew to be true: that boy, though chosen by the Master Sword, is Yiga through and through."

It was the first time the truth had been put to those words, and though Zelda had known it to be so, the words stung and burned in a way she had not anticipated.

Though more pressing, she realized, was that the woman before her had known it all along.

"Wait," Zelda whispered, "You knew?"

"Of course I knew," Impa scoffed, her eyes flickering away, "I had known from the moment I set eyes on him that there was something wrong about that boy, and my first spar with him only proved me right."

The revelation shattered through her mind, as she thought back to when it had been declared that Link had pulled the Master Sword. Impa had known. She had known of Link's intentions from the very beginning.

"Why… why didn't you tell my father?" Zelda whispered, the new wave of betrayal adding salt to her wounds, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I _did_ tell your father," Impa said, "but the King merely laughed off that accusation with the rationale that because Link had pulled the sword, there was simply no way that he could be of the Yiga Clan."

"But you didn't tell me?"

"After I had accused him, your father had kept me behind and sent everyone out. He had told me that I was forbidden from breathing a word of this to you. That should you hear my accusation, you would be distracted from your task. I was silenced by a man whose fear of the unknown kept him from seeing the truth," her eyes then softened: the sharp, blazing scarlet dissolving to something more gentle, "But trust me when I tell you that I watched over you and protected you as best I could from that day on. I waited for Link to slip up: to give me undeniable proof of his intentions. I even made it seem like I was letting him off the hook in an attempt to get him to let his guard down. Yet that boy… he was nothing if not thorough in his role."

"Yet, even faced with the truth, there's still some things that don't make sense," Zelda shook her head, "Like when he protected me from those Yiga Clan soldiers out in the Gerudo Desert. It doesn't make any sense. Why would he protect me from his own clan? He didn't even hesitate when he killed them."

"The Yiga Clan is a powerful and ruthless organization," Impa said, "Their radical philosophies are not above sacrificing their own to further their cause."

"He… he had told me once we made it here to Kakariko that he would explain everything to me."

"Sometimes," Impa said, slowly, "There are things better left unexplained."

Zelda's chest tightened, as fresh tears began to spring up around her eyes, "And now I'll never know…"

"Oh Zelda…"

"Why did he do it?" Zelda cried, the wave of betrayal feeling fresh and tender, "He tricked all of us. He lied, and manipulated his way into the Royal Guard. His mission was to kill me in the light of the Blood Moon the night before Calamity Ganon's return. I had begun to think that he was my friend: was none of that real? Though he wasn't able to kill me – said he _couldn't –_ the betrayal still stings. I feel angry and upset and hurt, but you know what's worse?" She took in a breath, steading her shaking hands, "I feel empathy towards him. I feel almost an understanding towards him, and from the deepest part of my soul, I want to forgive him. Why is that? Why is it that, despite everything, I still believe he can do good?"

"This is something I grappled with constantly the past few months," Impa said, "The pulling of the sword solidifies his role in this era. His destiny is still tied with yours, despite his prior allegiances. Though I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, am I?"

"No," Zelda whispered, "I know this to be true. It's ironic, isn't it?"

"Well, it is like I said," Impa said, "The shrine will erase any memory he has of siding with the Yiga Clan. He cannot have conflicting allegiances if he doesn't remember them. Perhaps this could be taken to your advantage."

Zelda's eyes grew wide, as she pondered this, "I hadn't put that all together, but you're right. With the extent of his injuries… it will be a miracle if he can even remember his own name."

"Perhaps the Goddess has known exactly what she was doing all along."

"We must make sure he doesn't stray once he awakens from the shrine," Zelda said, her eyebrows furrowed, "We must make sure that he is single minded in his task. Once he wakens, he will be the only person to save Hyrule. We must make sure his intentions are just. We'll tell him of his destiny as the Hero – but we won't ever mention his allegiance to the Yiga Clan."

"Is there anything else he needs to know?"

"Yes. Deliver this message for me," she said, "If you can. He will certainly be weakened upon awakening, and so we will need the Divine Beasts more than ever. Tell him to 'Free the four Divine Beasts'. Only once all four are free will the battle be tipped in our favor. And only once they are all free will the Champion's souls be able to rest."

"It shall be done, Princess."

Zelda's palms itched as she exchanged final goodbyes with Impa and left the small little village. It felt deceitful – almost – the way that she was taking advantage of a flaw in the shrine's mechanisms.

Though, she supposed, this deceit would make them them even.

As she departed from Kakariko beneath the soft prayer cloths and wooden wind chimes, the sights and sounds of the world outside the little haven began to unfold. Smoke permeated through the air, threatening to block out the rays of the sun as it began to make its ascent into the sky. The air was devoid of any sounds of wildlife – of any birds or insects or the like. Instead, it was replaced by a dull ringing in the air – almost inaudible, if you weren't listening for it.

But Zelda was listening for it. She heard it, just around the canyon, and it came from her home: a being so evil, she could feel its malice radiating from where she stood. She felt her palms sweat as her powers begged for release: as they begged to drown the darkness with their light. She would soon, she knew. But there was one more thing she had to do.

With the rising of the sun, Zelda emerged into Central Hyrule and gazed upon her broken home. She gazed upon the clouds of swirling malice and the beast that roared and trembled around her broken castle. She could feel its power growing – it was almost strong enough to break free from the castle and wreak absolute havoc over her lands.

As though her lands hadn't already been through enough.

But she knew she had time. Not a lot – in the grand scheme of it all – but enough. She had to protect the Master Sword. She had to ensure it was safeguarded until its master breached the Shrine of Resurrection and could come for it. And so she marched – marched beyond the castle where she knew she was destined to go, marched past the Hylia River, and disappeared like a spirit into the mystical fog of the Lost Woods.

She let the sword guide her through the treacherous mist, and each twist and turn made her head spin. Though with dizzying sense of vertigo, it made her more and more certain that the sword would rest undisturbed for however long its master needed.

She arrived in the Korok Forest, and was met with warm greens and swirling yellows – a stark contrast from the grey, milky, monotonous fog of the Lost Woods. In the center of the forest rested a great tree – its branches hovering delicately across the entirety of the forest.

Time stood still within the Great Hyrule Forest. Perhaps it was a concept that merely did not exist here.

She approached the Great Deku Tree with the broken sword. She knelt down before it, on a pedestal depicted with the Tri-Force. This was where the Master Sword had stood for millennia before Link had pulled it from its resting place. It would be the same place where it would lay dormant, before Link could rise to right the wrongs of Hyrule.

"Your master will come for you," Zelda whispered, her fingers tracing the indentations of the sword, etching the breaks to memory, "Until then, you shall rest safely here."

She paused, feeling the spirits of the fabled Koroks brushing against her. They were a comfort to her – a companion too, when all else was ripped from her. She smiled, the bitter sentiment clawing at her chest.

"Although the Slumber of Restoration will most certainly deprive him of his memories, please trust me when I say I know he will arrive for you yet again."

"If I may be so bold… what is it you are planning to do next, Princess?"

The deep voice warmed her soul and calmed her frayed nerves, and she looked up, finding herself in an audience with the great spirit of the forest: the Great Deku Tree.

She paused, looking down at the battered sword, which so clearly mirrored the state of her knight, "The Master Sword… I heard it speak to me," she whispered, "It seems that my role is unfinished. There is still something I must do."

The Great Deku Tree breathed, and Zelda felt the wind around her gently caress her shoulders, "I sense there is great strength in your dedication."

"Great Deku Tree," she whispered, the spontaneity of the moment enveloping her, "I ask of you, when he returns, can you please relay this message… tell him I –"

"Now then," the Great Deku Tree whispered, and each blossom from its branches stirred, "Words intended for him would sound much better in the tones of your voice, don't you think?"

She would forgive him, she realized. It was an unexpected sentiment to forgive, yet each muscle and instinct burned with it. The events of the last day had made her realize with more and more resounding clarity that everything had happened just as it was intended. If it was the will of the Goddess, who was she to object? Her soul ached with the losses her country faced, of what she personally faced – but the Goddess was faced with evil incarnate, and given the way of the world, things had happened the way they were destined to. The Goddess wasn't the only deity with a hand at the world – the Demon King was dealt his share as well. At the words of the Great Deku Tree, she knew without a doubt her Hero would rise once again, and she knew without a doubt she would see him once again: no longer under the influence of Ganon's malicious ways.

She nodded once, her eyes crinkling around the edges in the bittersweet truth, "Yes."

The Great Deku Tree grew silent once more, and Zelda reached down to grasp the hilt of the Master Sword in her palms. The blade pulsated, its soul reaching out to her once again: it was time.

She lifted the sword, closing her eyes, as she prepared to send the sword into its long slumber: to match its master. She felt her power soar within her, cascading down her arms to rest in her palms. Her power had been so elusive her entire life, and now it came so naturally to her. It was a wonder she had never discovered her powers earlier. Wasn't that funny? It was as simple as breathing.

She plunged the blade down into the ancient stone, and felt it lock firmly into its deep slumber. Here, it would stay dormant, until its master reached for it once again.

Which meant there was only one thing left to do.

She felt the spirits of the Koroks lead her out of the Lost Woods and back into her shattered country. It was strange – how departing only took seconds, but her arrival to the Korok Forest had taken so long. There was a mystery to those woods that she desperately wished to study. Yet, that would have to wait for another time. Her country awaited their Princess.

She made her way south, watching as the broken remains of her castle grew larger and more devastating the closer she got. As she grew closer, so did the Guardians, but they threatened her not. She called upon her sacred powers once more, and watched as the malice evaporated from deep within them like it was mere water.

She approached the Great Gates to her dear Castle Town once again, noticing the stark differences from when she was there last with Link not even a day earlier. Where her town before had been saturated with townsfolk still evacuating – with the sounds of yelling and cries – now it was eerily silent, as she stepped one delicate foot through the broken gates.

The flames of yesterday had died down to a bitter roar, and Zelda stood amongst the spirits of her people. She felt them around her: felt them move towards her, and felt their hands reach out towards their Princess. They beckoned her forward and made her brave, lifting her up in opposition to the threat.

She wouldn't lie and say that she wasn't scared. Of course she was – absolutely scared. But she derived courage from deep within her and stepped forward, summoning her power up and out, and calling the beast forward.

The Demon King materialized from deep within the billowy wisps of malice coating the castle. The ground shook as he roared, answering the calls to her summons. Two beady, glowing eyes burst from the malice and locked on her once again. She felt that same instinct to run from before, but she stood her ground. She had the blood of the Goddess coursing through her veins. She had the power of the Goddess dripping from her fingertips. She was the Princess of Hyrule, and she would not allow this demon to wreck havoc on her lands any longer.

The great beast snorted, its massive snout widening in another ground shaking roar, before he dove down, down, down – to the Princess – to Hylia – to Zelda.

Zelda was consumed by the demon, as the demon was engulfed by her powers. And there, they were at a standstill – in a massive gridlock that was unprecedented in all of history. She pushed him back, into the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle – the one place in the castle most blessed by the Goddess. The beast roared, as it fought against the strength of her power. But her Goddess and the love and sacrifice of her people fueled her onwards. He would not break free.

And there she would hold him – for a year, for a decade, for a century, for _millennia_ if that was how long it took. For however long her Hero needed before he awakened, she would wait.

* * *

Time passed, as it does, and the months turned into years, and the years turned into decades. During this time, the fields burned, as the followers of Ganon still grazed the country. The surviving citizens fled to the far corners of the country, daring not to step anywhere near the epicenter of the Calamity. Time seemed to stop, and the world ceased to spin.

Then, as it does, time moved on. The world continued to spin, and the people lived.

Years would pass, as Hylia's people grew older. Some years crawled and some years ran by. As people died, they also lived. And as people lived, they ushered in new life. Life was filled with the same happiness and sorrows wrought from a world before the Calamity. That world seemed naught but a distant memory, but a distant memory still for some. Then those people died off, as well, and those memories turned into legends.

The three surviving Sheikah from Hyrule Castle spread out, when it became clear that their Hero would not awaken for quite some time. They spread to far reaching areas of the country, each holding onto the Princess's final message for their Hero once he returned. With any luck, one of them would survive long enough to see his resurrection. Yet still, with each passing year, the Sheikah grew greyer and frailer. Even with their long lifespans, they too would inevitably meet their fate and rise into the warm embrace of their Goddess.

Master Kohga sent his followers far and wide across the country, searching for their Lieutenant – searching for the traitor of the Yiga Clan. His obsession was maddening, driving him into mania in his preoccupation. As the decades passed, Master Kohga effectively went bananas, as some would say. Indeed, in an attempt to make his clan more formidable, Master Kohga relied even more heavily on the power-boosting properties of Mighty Bananas. Should the cowardly Hero ever make an appearance again, they would be ready.

And Link…

He had been brought to the Shrine of Resurrection, and the Sheikah had not a moment more to lose. He was on the brink of death as he was placed in the swirling pool – any longer, and he would have certainly been lost forever. The Sheikah Slate had been placed into the pedestal, and the settings were set. Then, the world held their breath and waited, as the Sheikah stepped back out into Hyrule and the door to the shrine sealed itself behind them.

The Sheikah, in a last ditch effort to protect the Hero, detonated the Great Steps leading up into the Plateau. People would simply believe that the steps had been destroyed in the initial attack from the Calamity. It would be impossible then, for anyone to step foot onto the Plateau. Their Hero would then rest undisturbed.

Prior to scaling down the steep walls, the Sheikah buried the dead that had evacuated to the Great Plateau and had died valiantly against the few Guardians that had made it up there. The dead were varied – some Hylian, some Sheikah – and one whose long white beard and Royal robes had been stained dark red in his final moments.

The Sheikah buried the last King of Hyrule at the peak of Mount Hylia, laying him to rest as close to the Goddess as they could. His grave was marked only with a simple stone. It was a far cry from what a proper Royal burial called for, but it was far more than most victims of the Great Calamity were afforded.

Link's slumber was long: much longer than anyone had anticipated. Yet still, the Princess never gave up hope, as she held Ganon, confined in her holy prayer. She heard the voices of her ancestors, urging her onwards, and felt the souls of the past heroes, encouraging her. The Goddess spoke to her, whispering in her ear to wait just a little bit longer. And so she always did, waiting just a little bit more.

Then, one fateful day, something changed.

It was a normal day in Hyrule: the Guardians still roamed the fields, its normalcy now on par with the sighting of a wild horse. People lived their lives, going about their day, as though nothing momentous had just happened. No one would realize until much later that something had changed, and that it would alter the course of history forever.

From within an ancient shrine, long forgotten to the people of Hyrule, laid a man. Call him what you will: a traitor or a hero. Both titles would have been lost to time, save for one Sheikah, who sat in Kakariko: her old, wrinkled eyes opening wide as she felt the winds shift around her – and one Hylian, who was more spirit than girl: as she heard the sounds of a man stirring for the first time in a century.

Then, from within the shrine, the pool began to drain, and a voice called out to the awakening man.

At first, it was a mere whisper, almost inaudible from within the shrine. But it grew louder – more persistent – more hopeful – more determined – more desperate – until the words registered in his ears as he listened to the once familiar voice.

"Open your eyes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very emotional right now. This has been my baby for the last one hundred years (or since last October when I first started writing this). I have had the most fun crafting this world from the memories given to us.
> 
> Now, like I promised last chapter, I have some exciting details to share with you all!
> 
> But first, to any new readers, or anyone who did not get to read last chapter's author's note, let me summarize the news:
> 
> I am writing a Goddess-damned sequel and prequel to this!
> 
> I had thought about just continuing onwards with this story and making it 40 chapters or so, but with the lapse in time that I feel I can only justify with the epilogue, and with the fact that this last chapter effectively finishes that final arc of pre-botw, I feel that this is a good place to tie off this story with a little bow. That, and the sequel is going to play out MUCH differently than Treacherous Intentions. There's a lot of huge factors that make it different, like a certain memory loss and a certain Princess effectively gone from the narrative. It just makes sense to start anew with a sequel.
> 
> I teased you all with some details last chapter, and I am excited to tease you all with some more details! Here we go!
> 
> Bitter Revelations, the sequel to Treacherous Intentions, will be published sometime between August 1st and September 1st, with weekly updates on the same day each week! 100,000+ words. 20 Chapters.
> 
> This story takes place immediately following Link's one hundred year slumber, and follows through the events of Breath of the Wild. This story features twelve (12) unique memory sequences that tie back to the events of Treacherous Intentions and its prequel, listed below. None of the in-game memories will be touched on.
> 
> Summary: His memories had left him, but his emotions had not: and what he felt now was a deep, seething anger. With every turn brought unbidden memories to the surface, and it was all he could do to push those sentiments far, far down. Who was he, and why did he hear a voice beckoning him to the castle? The voice had said that he was the light, but all he wanted was to fill the world with darkness. Sequel to Treacherous Intentions. (Yiga!Link, BotW AU)
> 
> Blood Stain'd Handkerchief, the prequel to Treacherous Intentions, will be published sometime this summer. 4,000-10,000 words. One-shot.
> 
> Summary: He couldn't help but miss her. His mother was all he had left, and then the Goddess Hylia took her away from him. How could he believe in a deity that let bad things happen to good people? Thus, left with nothing but the ever-growing void in his heart, Link strives to find the one thing that could fill it. Prequel to Treacherous Intentions. (Pre-Yiga!Link, BotW AU)
> 
> So there you have it! Those are my next two projects coming up within the next year! I am eager to share them with you all! If you haven't yet, turn on author notifications so you'll know when the stories go live! I'm afraid this is my last bit of correspondence for a while!
> 
> Let me know any speculations that you have in the comments or in a PM! I would love to hear them! Feel free to reach out in the next few weeks as well! And let me know your thoughts on this chapter, and the story overall! Again, this project has been my baby, and has been way too much fun to write.
> 
> Also, I made a tumblr ??? I have no idea how to use it, but I want to, so if you want to watch me struggle with new technology / help a girl out, follow me on tumblr [here](https://dontwaitupxx.tumblr.com/). I'm an old lady when it comes to technology, so be patient with me as I figure it all out!
> 
> I'll see you all in one hundred years! (It won't be that long, I promise)


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